5stringJeff
Senior Member
Another victory for freedom! 
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Last Syrian Troops Pull Out of Lebanon
By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer
MASNAA, Lebanon - Syria's last soldier in Lebanon walked across the border Tuesday, welcomed home with cheers and flowers after a modest farewell from the Lebanese, a quiet end to a once indomitable 29-year military presence that was the key to Damascus' control of its neighbor.
With the Syrians gone, Lebanese now look ahead to an election that should prove freer of Syrian influence but still runs the risk of sinking into violence. Lebanon's anti-Syrian opposition is hoping to defeat Damascus' political allies at the ballot box.
The withdrawal would have been unthinkable only a few months ago. But amid series of strategic blunders by Syrian President Bashar Assad, Damascus came under relentless international pressure that intensified after the Feb. 14 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The United States in particular is keeping up demands for an end to Syria's influence.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mymod/hdln/z...1&u=/ap/20050426/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_syria
---------------
Last Syrian Troops Pull Out of Lebanon
By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer
MASNAA, Lebanon - Syria's last soldier in Lebanon walked across the border Tuesday, welcomed home with cheers and flowers after a modest farewell from the Lebanese, a quiet end to a once indomitable 29-year military presence that was the key to Damascus' control of its neighbor.
With the Syrians gone, Lebanese now look ahead to an election that should prove freer of Syrian influence but still runs the risk of sinking into violence. Lebanon's anti-Syrian opposition is hoping to defeat Damascus' political allies at the ballot box.
The withdrawal would have been unthinkable only a few months ago. But amid series of strategic blunders by Syrian President Bashar Assad, Damascus came under relentless international pressure that intensified after the Feb. 14 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The United States in particular is keeping up demands for an end to Syria's influence.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mymod/hdln/z...1&u=/ap/20050426/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_syria
