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800,000 Pack Beirut For Opposition Rally (Anti-Syrian Protests)
Yahoo! News Singapore ^ | March 14, 2005 | Agence France-Presse

Posted on 03/14/2005 7:14:22 AM PST by MisterRepublican

An emboldened Lebanese opposition mobilized more than 800,000 people to demand an end to Syrian military domination of Lebanon, hurling a potent challenge to the Syrian-backed government here.

Beirut city official Mounib Nassereddine said the estimate of 800,000 did did not include demonstrators who were still arriving from all parts of the country ahead of the rally.

Thousands of Lebanese had made their way throughout the morning to the capital by car, bus and boat, heading for Martyrs Square and the grave of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, assassinated exactly one month ago in a bomb blast.

Lebanese television aired spectacular pictures of a massive throng in the square, showing thousands of demonstrators waving the red, white and green Lebanese flag in bright sunshine against the deep blue of the Mediterranean in the background.

Nassereddine said Monday's gathering was "at least two and a half times" larger than last Tuesday's turnout called by pro-Syrian Lebanese parties, notably the Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah. AFP correspondents estimated the crowd last week at 400,000.

"Hezbollah organized a giant demonstration last Tuesday to intimidate us," said Nada, 35, as she travelled to Beirut from Zahle in the east.

"Today we're taking up the challenge and invite it to join us because we represent the true majority of the country."

Added Anwar: "The Syrian people are our brothers. We have ties that go back centuries but the Syrian army and the mukhabarat (intellence service) are no longer welcome in Lebanon."

Huguette Yamine, a 57, said Monday's poltical demonstration was her first.

"I came with 10 family members. We walked here all the way from the other side of Beirut. We've had enough. I want my children to live in a free and democratic Lebanon."

(Excerpt) Read more at sg.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: andthewallscometumb; beirutrally; braveheart; bushdoctrineunfold; bushdoctrineunfolds; bushwasright; cedarrevolution; dominoes; freedom; goforit; lebanon; middleeastdemocracy; recordprotest; syria; syriagohomenow
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To: jriemer
By the way the group the hooters put out an album (I believe it was titled Zig Zag) which adapted 500 miles to include the following verses:

Not a shirt on my back not a penny to my name,

And the land that I once left is not my own.

Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord, I'm three, Lord, I'm four,

Lord I'm five hundred miles away from home.

A hundred tanks along the square, one man stands and stops them there,

Some day soon the tide will turn and I'll be free.

Ill be free, I'll be free, I'll come home to my country,

Some day soon the tide will turn and I'll be free.

We can hope and pray.

161 posted on 03/14/2005 4:55:12 PM PST by Friend of thunder (No sane person wants war, but oppressors want oppression.)
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To: gopwinsin04

Did you photoshop that? If not, I am totally dying of laughter. Actually, I'm laughing anyway.


162 posted on 03/14/2005 4:57:36 PM PST by faithincowboys
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To: Fred Nerks

Thanks for the ping Fred! :o)


163 posted on 03/14/2005 5:00:07 PM PST by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: Ooh-Ah

Banner in French: "Souriez, Ils s'en vont."

"Smile, they are going!"


164 posted on 03/14/2005 5:09:54 PM PST by kenavi ("Remember, your fathers sacrificed themselves without need of a messianic complex." Ariel Sharon)
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To: USF

I have a visitor who, after viewing the pictures from Lebannon on this thread, commented that OSB quite inadvertently might have been responsible for the huge wave of freedom and democracy that is spreading throughout the Middle East. Isn't that the best example of schadenfreude you have ever heard?
If OSB is still alive, sitting in his cave, watching the events in Lebanon, perhaps we can imagine how he feels?
God Bless GWB and our Brave Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.


165 posted on 03/14/2005 5:12:41 PM PST by Fred Nerks (Understand Evil: Read THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD. Link on my Page. free pdf.)
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To: Wolfstar
The actual numbers have to be well over one million. Someone posted that Turkish media are saying two million. Whatever the actual number, its massive in a small nation like Lebanon.

The total population of Lebanon is ~3.8 million.

166 posted on 03/14/2005 5:14:12 PM PST by FreeReign
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To: lonevoice

Ahhhh . . . this does my heart good. Freedom is on the move.


167 posted on 03/14/2005 5:19:45 PM PST by Pride in the USA
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To: Fred Nerks
If OSB is still alive, sitting in his cave, watching the events in Lebanon, perhaps we can imagine how he feels?

All those Lebanese, Christian (40%) and Muslims (60%), yearning for freedom instead of 7th century oppression... He probably looks back at whats left of his network and his dreams of resurrecting the caliphate and regrets the day he ever woke up the sleeping giant. Kinda backfired on him didn't it? ;o)

168 posted on 03/14/2005 5:28:40 PM PST by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: USF

Sure did! Instead of the islamic world rising up to kill the infidel...look what's happening. No caliphate, just elections!
Hey, hang a peace prize around his neck, he can strangle himself with it, that's all the Nobel Peace Prize is good for. I wonder if the 'palestinains' buried arafat with his?


169 posted on 03/14/2005 5:35:54 PM PST by Fred Nerks (Understand Evil: Read THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD. Link on my Page. free pdf.)
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To: USF

Sure did! Instead of the islamic world rising up to kill the infidel...look what's happening. No caliphate, just elections!
Hey, hang a peace prize around his neck, he can strangle himself with it, that's all the Nobel Peace Prize is good for. I wonder if the 'palestinians' buried arafat with his?


170 posted on 03/14/2005 5:36:23 PM PST by Fred Nerks (Understand Evil: Read THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD. Link on my Page. free pdf.)
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To: Fred Nerks

double posted...sorry.


171 posted on 03/14/2005 5:36:51 PM PST by Fred Nerks (Understand Evil: Read THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD. Link on my Page. free pdf.)
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To: Fred Nerks

LOL.. I thought I was hearing an echo in here!


172 posted on 03/14/2005 5:52:29 PM PST by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: polymuser

Excellent! LOL!!


173 posted on 03/14/2005 7:23:22 PM PST by PatriotGirl827 (Member of the Vast Right Wing Pajama Party)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Photos 2-3 WOW!!!
What amazing days we live in.

As for photo #1 all I can say is
"Good morning little schoolgirl, can I come home with you?
Tell your mama and your papa I'm a little schoolboy too."
Muddy Waters


174 posted on 03/14/2005 8:13:17 PM PST by Valin (DARE to be average!)
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To: dead

dead, you've got the best pics!

I stole this one, in case you lose it....

175 posted on 03/14/2005 8:15:23 PM PST by bitt ("Conservatism is the dominant political creed in America,")
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To: Fred Nerks

that's all the Nobel Peace Prize is good for.

Oh I don't know I beleive that in some Starbucks it'll get you 1 cup of coffee at a reduced price, 1/3 off.


176 posted on 03/14/2005 8:16:06 PM PST by Valin (DARE to be average!)
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To: MisterRepublican; All

Does anybody know if there's any opposition parties in Syria? I've been wondering that for a couple of weeks now. I mean, I would imagine that the average Syrian would look at Iraq and at Lebanon and say: "If they can vote, why not us?"


177 posted on 03/14/2005 8:18:21 PM PST by Lady In Blue ( President 'SEABISCUIT' AKA George W Bush)
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To: Valin

Cute! I like that.


178 posted on 03/14/2005 8:18:48 PM PST by Fred Nerks (Understand Evil: Read THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD. Link on my Page. free pdf.)
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To: MeekOneGOP
meekabump!


179 posted on 03/14/2005 8:21:35 PM PST by bitt ("Conservatism is the dominant political creed in America,")
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To: bitt
We are living in and witnessing very historic times, my friend. :^D

God bless Dubya and the USA.


180 posted on 03/14/2005 8:35:36 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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