Mixed media: Democracy flickers in Middle East

AMERICAN PRESSURE EXILES' VIEW: Lebanese living in Israel hope international pressure on Syria to withdraw troops and intelligence agents will liberate their country from decades of occupation, but they are sceptical about whether they will be allowed go back home soon.

"This is the first time that it happened in the Arab world - an embryo revolution without one shot," said George Diab. "This event will move the region to copy this cultivated revolution."

A 42-year-old father of two said it would take strong American pressure to convince the Syrians to leave Lebanon. "If the Syrians do what the Americans are asking it will be good," he said. "We hope there will be something good from now on."

* CNS News

AMERICAN EDITORIAL: Syrian boss Bashar al-Assad's announcement of a two-stage pullback of his forces in Lebanon is little more than a transparent attempt to stall for time and divert attention from Syria's brutal occupation of its western neighbour.

But if President Bush is ultimately successful in actually forcing Syria out of Lebanon, the consequences could be dire for President Assad and his allies in the Iran-Hizbollah axis. The dictator may not survive the humiliation of surrendering Lebanon, which Damascus has long regarded as a Syrian province. And without Syria's support and protection it may become very difficult for Hizbollah to credibly threaten to open up a northern front against Israel.

* Washington Times

ARAB NEWSPAPER: Damascus' decision to pull back its troops is no doubt an outcome of the pressure from the international community, more specifically, the United States. Syria, by forcing the extension of Emile Lahoud's presidential term in Lebanon, has exposed itself to intense international scrutiny and pressure.

The closely linked neighbours have to move on. Damascus must wake up to the dramatic and dangerous changes beyond its borders and act accordingly. Decision time is now.

* Khaleej Times, Dubai

US POLITICAL WEBSITE: I don't expect George Bush or the United States to get much of the credit. The chattering classes are already saying this is something that would have happened anyway. But we can take pride in having been instrumental in bringing freedom to the last part of the world that didn't have it.

- Jack, posted on WatchBlog

US SPIN-DOCTORING LEBANESE JOURNALIST: There is a moment of change in the Middle East, and it's not - as the White House says - due to the American war in Iraq ... the Bush White House is going to take credit, and they've already started the spin-doctoring of it, spreading the message that the American policy in Iraq and promoting freedom is now starting to show dividends.

More likely is what I think has started to happen already, which is that indigenous movements for democracy and human rights and freedom and accountability in the Arab world are starting to pick up steam, and you're starting to get rare, but important, examples of a convergence between Arabs working at the grassroots level for democracy, freedom and human rights converging with American and European pressure from overseas.

* Rami Khouri, Daily Star

ARAB VIEW: President Bush's stern warning urging Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon once again highlights the moral duplicity practised by the US Administration in its dealings with Middle East affairs. Bush is, strangely, right this time: Syria must leave Lebanon to the Lebanese.

But is this what Bush and his bands of neo-conservatives are hoping for - a free, democratic and independent Lebanon? Hardly.

Without fail, since his first day in office - but most notably following the attacks of September 11 - the Bush Administration's foreign policy in the Middle East has been consistent with Israel's regional objectives, politically and militarily.

Syria is an enemy of Israel because it is a regional power. Israel understands well that to denominate [sic] the region, politically and militarily it must have unique advantages over its neighbours.

* Ramzy Baroud at the Aljazeera website

JORDAN NEWSPAPER: The Syrian presence in Lebanon did not come about at random, nor was it an occupation.

It was in Lebanese-Syrian-Arab interests to quell sedition inside Lebanon and to safeguard the borders.

It was a state of emergency and it was necessary for it to come to an end by mutual consent.

If the US, France and the United Nations Security Council call this occupation ... what should they say about the US presence in Iraq and the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories?

* Al-Dustur

TURKISH DAILY: Look at the language that America, Britain, Israel and Europe use.

How ugly, how vicious, how shameless. Syria withdraws from Lebanon and won't anyone come forward and say, "Why doesn't Israel withdraw from Golan, from the Palestinian territories, why doesn't America withdraw from Iraq?"

* Yeni Safak