Why Lebanon?

Lebanon is a small Arab country located in the volatile Middle East. This country is unique becuase it is one of the few countries in the region that is a democracy, where there if the freedom to assemble, freedom expression, and freedom of religion. Fifteen out of the last sixteen years, Syrian intelligence ran the country behind the scenes. In February of 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Harirr was assassinated. Hariri at the time became very critical of the Syrian regime. His assassinations brought a million protesters out to the streets of Beirut and the Syrians decided to withdrawal all of its forces from Lebanon. Pro-Syrian political parties did not fare well in the next parliamentary elections. The Pro-Syrian and Iranian Hezbollah and its other allies have recently left the government in order to topple the Anti-Syrian government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. If Hezbollah and its allies succeed in toppling the government it could mark the return of Syrian hegemony and the weakening of democracy; civil war could also return