among those celebrating Saturday, March 5, after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced that Syrian troops would start a gradual withdrawal from Lebanon.
"We will pull all our forces in Lebanon to the Bekaa area and from there to the Syrian-Lebanese border," Assad said in a speech to parliament, which was often interrupted by seemingly scripted applause and shouts of joy from lawmakers. He said he agreed with Lebanon’s President Emile Lahoud to hold a joint meeting next week to approve the plan.
"By this measure Syria would have fulfilled its commitment toward the Taif Accord and implemented (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1559," Assad added. Syria is under intense pressure to pull out its estimated 14,000 troops and security agents from Lebanon, where it first deployed in 1976.
In Beirut, the Lebanese capital, reporters saw thousands of protesters, waving Lebanese flags, erupting in joy after the Syrian president made the announcement. Women wept and men screamed in celebration when the crowd, watching Assad’s speech in the Syrian parliament live on big screens, heard the Syrian leader declaring the move, Reuters news agency reported.
"Syria Out, Syria Out" and "Freedom, Sovereignty, Independence," protestors were heard saying as they hugged and kissed in Beirut.
‘CHRISTIAN’ ARMY
The announced removal of troops added to hope among members of the primarily Christian Southern Lebanese Army (SLA) that they may be able to return home, BosNewsLife monitored. Many of them fled to Israel in 2000, when the SLA supporting Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanon, despite the presence of Syrian forces in the country.
Syria and other Arab countries backed Lebanese Muslim factions, including Hezbollah, while Christians, including those of the SLA, received Israeli support during years of civil war which began in 1975. The war ended in 1990, a year after the signing of the Arab-brokered Taif Accord, which extended government sovereignty over all Lebanese territory and called for the disbanding of all religious militias and the withdrawal of Syrian forces.
"As soon as the Syrians leave, and I don’t think it will be more than two months, I will be going back," Joseph Hanoun, a bodyguard of late senior SLA commander Akel Hashem, told The Jerusalem Post newspaper. "I will go back regardless of [militant group] Hezbollah because without Syria and its security apparatus in Lebanon Hezbollah is weak," the paper quoted the 38-year old Hanoun as saying, who lives with his wife and their four children in Israel.
GOVERNMENT RESIGNS
News of the gradual withdrawal came just days after Lebanon’s pro-Syrian government was forced to resign following two weeks of demonstrations in Beirut. The protests began after former Lebanese Prime Minister Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a bomb attack. Among the injured survivors in the blast was Dr. Basil Fleihan, the sole representative of the Protestant Church in the Lebanese Parliament, Mission Network News, a Christian broadcaster, said.
Israel cautioned Saturday that peace with a more independent government and a gradual withdrawal of Syrian troops was not enough to reach peace. Israeli Foreign Minister Sivan Shalom told reporters that the entire international community and Israel, demands "the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559" which calls for a complete withdrawal of all Syrian troops from Lebanon.
He spoke after meeting Jordan’s foreign minister Hani Mulki, whose visit marked the first time the Hashemite kingdom dispatched its envoy to Israel, since the Palestinian uprising started more than four years ago. The United States State Department said Saturday, March 5, that Syria’s announcement to gradually withdraw "is not enough." The UN "resolution 1559 says immediately, it says withdrawal, and it says Lebanon free from all foreign interference. So that’s what we’re looking for," said State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher earlier.
(With Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, BosNewsLife Research, reports from Lebanon, Syria and Israel).
Why is it that Muslims claim Moses was a prophet and the 10 Commandments given to Moses by OUR HEAVENLY FATHER on Mount Sinai clearly gives OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’s Commandment not to kill while they believe in killing those who will not convert, and killing for other various reasons under Shari’a Law? Do Not Kill; there are no ifs, ands, or buts. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, who created all in Heaven and on Earth, made that Commandment expressly clear. Any prophets to come along later have supported all those Commandments given by OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER is greater than absolutely everyone and absolutely everything. Do Not Kill; there are no ifs, ands, or buts. We apparently are not to kill others; that is not our purpose. Supposedly Mohammed said something different. So either Mohammed agreed with those Commandments and didn‘t actually say what he supposedly said, or Mohammed wasn’t a prophet. And if Mohammed agreed that those Commandments came from OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, then Mohammed didn’t try to argue with them or change them to fit his own agenda. Maybe that ‘Book Burning’ in the 7th century A.D. (C.E.) wasn’t just to ‘standardize’ but to ‘cover-up’ the Truth. I’m not trying to argue religion here; or trying to argue doctrine. It just does not make any sense. If Christians and Jews killed people as Muslims kill people, then most of the world would kill each other off. Do Not Kill; there are no ifs, ands, or buts. May OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’s Will Be Done.
We all have our own separate Beliefs, founded in various religions, because we are individuals. It only makes sense that a situation such as this would produce various ways to praise OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, the Creator. I think my Beliefs are correct as much as you do yours.
“Everyone thinks he’s right. And some of us are so convinced that we’re even willing to fight to the death for what we believe. And with all that conviction, sincere as it may be, we keep digging ourselves in, and making that [hole] deeper and deeper, because in the final analysis, if everyone is right, then no one is right.
So what’s the answer? Don’t be so sure of your beliefs. Don’t be so quick to jump to your belief, because what you believe may not be as true as you first thought. Have the courage to filter your beliefs through the filter of common sense. Don’t take your preconceived beliefs and try to justify them rationally. Instead, use rationality to come to your beliefs . . . And whatever doesn’t make sense, have the sense to let it go. . . And if we don’t get our heads straight, it will only get worse.” -Nissim Dahan
I do not want to force anyone to believe as I do. Then it would not be your will, it would be my will. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. You may not. Whether you choose to believe or not is your decision, not mine. I have put my ’Beliefs’ through the ’Filter of Common Sense.’ Have You? We all are not going to have the same convictions, the same religion, or even the same beliefs about a common religion. Wanting to kill someone because they do not believe as I do, on anything, is not good. I should have the patience and tolerance to accept the fact we do not agree. Common sense.
Furthermore, there are bad elements in every religion, culture, and nation. I can not say one religion, culture, or nation is bad because of some and not all. Thus, not all Muslims are bad when a few do wrong; not all Christians are bad when a few do wrong; not all Middle-Easterners are bad when a few do wrong; not all Americans are bad when a few do wrong; etcetera. Plus I can not blame the people for what their government does. We all, worldwide, have bad politicians, bad bureaucrats, and bad military leaders. And the same is true as before. All are not to be blamed for the actions of some. Common sense.
So what is the answer? I personally agree we must stop ‘Extremism.’ Such things as killing, fighting to the death, and forcing your will upon others are extreme. I also personally agree with the ‘Golden Rule’ which should be common sense:
“Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” -Jesus Christ
We all will not agree on everything; we must accept that situation. So let people decide for themselves what is currently best for themselves. If someone wants to do something that does not affect you, then let them do it. You may not agree with what they are doing , but let them. OUR HEAVENY FATHER obviously does not want to control us. I believe we must follow that example. Do not force your will on someone else. If their actions will not affect you, then let them. Not advocating hedonism, let their will decide what is best for them. Common sense.
I’m not forcing my will on you. Why are you forcing your’s on me? May OUR HEAVENLY FATHER’s Will Be Done.