On the March?

No one would be more happy than I if peaceful, democratic societies suddenly blossomed in the desert. Then I could go on my long-gestating tour of the wineries of Lebanon. Bushy-Bush claims that freedom is on the march. It's inspiring to see the thousands involved in the so-called "Cedar Revolution" demonstrating in Beirut. Suddenly the press is freaking out, wondering if maybe George II was right about the Arab masses yearning for liberty (and completely ignoring the original reason for the invasion). Hack conservatives like David Brooks are poking their heads out of their holes in order to praise Iraq war architects like Paul Wolfowitz.

It all seemed to be falling into place, that is until the ousted, pro-Syria prime minister of Lebanon was reinstated and Hezbollah held a massive pro-Syria demonstration. I guess we shouldn't have spent fifty-years propping up totalitarian regimes in the Middle-East, 'cause it's kind of hard to turn things around overnight. Whoops! This seems like a poor long-term move by Hezbollah, but things aren't going to be peaches-and-cream overnight.