Log in Free trial  Democracy in Lebanon; Syrian Withdrawal Helps
Repave the Way  Article excerpt   The sight of Lebanon's youth
in Beirut's Martyr Square stunned many in the West and
emboldened many more in the Arab world. The revolution was
deeply rooted in the country's long traditions of pluralism and
democratic expressions, despite past wars.  There is no doubt
about it, the Arab world and its surroundings are feeling the
shock of Afghanistan and Iraq's elections. Without hope, the
peoples of the region won't be able to sustain change and
progress on the road to freedom. The Middle East needs a project
for democracy, established in its own midst, by its own cultures
and aimed at its own future.  This launching pad has to speak
its languages and understand its problems. It must have an
experience in democracy and a capability of exporting it within
the region. The basis for Mideast and Arab democracy has to be
able to teach it, broadcast it, model it into art, technology
and culture. It has to be a bridge