" Lebanon surrenders to Assad "

YNETnews/ here

".....To Jumblatt’s credit, we must note that he was not the first one: Before him, the prime minister and head of the anti-Syrian camp, Sa’ad al-Hariri, headed to Damascus – the same Hariri who held Assad responsible for the assassination of Hariri Sr. in 2005. Following the handshakes and kisses traded with the Syrian top brass, Hariri is reportedly planning to visit Tehran soon, but not the United States........ Survival is apparently the name of the game in Lebanon – and in the absence of firm American and French backing, it appears that both leaders have decided, in their own interest, that they would be better off to reconcile with Damascus at this time ....... Upon the evaporation of the anti-Syrian glue, and following the departure of George W. Bush and Jacque Chirac, no significant supporters remain domestically or abroad – despite the clear victory in the elections held last June...."