Bush...A poem.

Some Arabs See Beginning of New Era




By DONNA ABU-NASR
Associated Press Writer

March 1, 2005, 3:16 PM EST

KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia -- It was a scene the Arab world's autocratic regimes have dreaded -- and through the power of satellite TV, it could catch on as fast as the latest hit music video: Peaceful, enormous crowds carrying flags and flowers bringing down a government.

What happened in Lebanon this week, analysts say, is the beginning of a new era in the Middle East, one in which popular demand pushes the momentum for democracy and people's will can no longer be disregarded.

Television stations broadcast Beirut's protests live into homes, coffee shops and clubs across the Middle East, with the dramatic images of Lebanese youths wearing red-and-white scarves and waving the country's red, white and green flag as they handed out roses Monday to troops who had been ordered to block them. The coverage, lasting all day with hardly a break on some stations, culminated with the Syrian-backed government's resignation.

Inevitably, it raised the question among many spectators: What about here?

"I wish this could happen in Yemen," Ahmed Murtada, an unemployed Yemeni, said in San'a. "But here, tanks would prevail."

Anas Khashoggi, a 46-year-old management consultant in the Saudi city of Jiddah, said he followed Monday's events from beginning to end. "I wanted ... to see how the government reacts to the will of the people," he said.

Was he disappointed? "Not at all," he said.

The scenes from Lebanon come as Saudis are having their first -- albeit small -- taste of democracy. In the second round of the country's first nationwide elections ever, Saudi men go to the polls Thursday in the kingdom's east and south to choose municipal councils. The monarchy has been promising reform, but going slowly.

Newspapers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- authoritarian nations where the state heavily influences the press -- did not shy away from showing the protests.

"The Lebanese street joins the opposition," read the banner headline across the front page of the Saudi daily Okaz, along with photos of the Lebanese protest tents and a banner in Arabic reading, "We want the truth."

In Syria, however, the state-controlled media was largely silent. It reported on the resignation of Prime Minister Omar Karami but did not mention -- much less show pictures -- of the protests. State TV aired none of the dramatic footage the few Syrians with satellite dishes could see with a flick of the channel.

Syria has kept a firm hand on its small reform movement. But it had a rare instance of civil violence last year, when riots in March between Kurds and police spread to parts of northeastern Syria and killed at least 25 people in unrest sparked by a soccer brawl but fueled by Kurdish resentment.

"What happened in Lebanon conforms with our hopes for every Arab country," said Michel Kilo, a Syrian intellectual. "It was a rehearsal for a peaceful popular movement that unfolded right before our eyes."

The protests in Lebanon -- triggered by the assassination of the popular former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on Feb. 14 -- come on the heels of a string of democratic steps in the Arab world, including elections in Iraq and by the Palestinians, and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's promise to allow multi-candidate presidential elections.

But the forcing out of Lebanon's government sets a very different precedent in a region where freedom of speech is muzzled, human rights activists are jailed and sons either succeed or are being groomed to succeed their fathers.

"For the first time in the history of the Arab world, a country's policy has come face-to-face with the will of the people who went down to the street and said: 'We don't want you,'" said Dalal al-Bizri, a Cairo-based Lebanese sociologist.

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How about posting some Ann Coulter articles?

Mr.Jingles79 wrote:

How about posting some Ann Coulter articles?

?????

Things are just starting to get interesting in the Middle East.....stay tuned, and keep an open mind instead of a hateful one, folks.

If you would bother to read the articles, you might learn something.

I mean, here we have yet another country in the Middle East that has stood up and said "Dammit, we want Freedom! This government has to go!"

And, guess what? They DID! After the assisination, the people, emboldened by watching millions of Iraqis go to the polls, stood up for themselves.

That is the whole point of this "illegal" war, as so many on the left wish to call it. Just watch.

In 15 years, you will not recognize this area...

Maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but the power of the people is where it is at, baby, and the tide is turning...you can kick and scream about it all you want, but you cannot stop it.

I travelled through Iraq with my Dad when I was a kid of 9 years old. Enough said. This is not the point! A lot has changed since then.

The point here is I don't support Bush...and if you were stupid enough to vote for him you deserve what you're going to get: a poorer economy, a right wing agenda, and endless military spending.

I am proud to be a Canadian. We have a liberal government, we don't like Bush, we stand up for all minorities, we kick ass at hockey, and we make good beer. What more could you want?

So go fuck yourself asshole.

ps...MetzgerR...I hope your uncle is safe and gets home okay! I don't wish any harm on any of the people of the US military who are risking their lives for their country. I just disagree why they are there.

He must be very homesick...from what I can remember of the middle east...it is a very different way of life...people in the street look at you differently...YOU are the minority. You just know that you're a long way from Kansas!

Buddy Biancalana, do you really think that posting some one sided articles written by republicans can change our minds???