BT writes from Jerusalem:
In my last letter I referred to winds of change blowing across the Middle East. Since I have worked so long among the Lebanese I have been following the developments in Lebanon with great interest. The dramatic changes have been covered extensively in the media, but I want to include a brief summary in this letter. Syrian troops deployed since 1976 were withdrawn, finalized with a farewell ceremony at the end of April. Syrian troops entered Lebanon as a peacekeeping force early in the civil war, became embroiled in the war and in the end stayed to maintain security, but stayed much longer than specified in the Taif Accord that ended the war. The history of this period is complex with many influences both internal and external. Regarding Syria’s role there are opposing views, but regardless, the withdrawal of Syrian forces marked a new chapter in Lebanon’s history and made way for the election of a new government free of Syrian influence for the first time in 29 years.
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