[jaguar]

Lebanon is already pretty western. Some interesting stuff turned up about the car-bomb this week, looks like a well pre-planned operation by Syrian or possibly Lebanese intel guys, they think it was 600(!!!)kg of explosives. They've only got one car for testing because the others were cleared away suspiciously fast - the reason the have the one is because it was blown clear over a building into the sea. They really weren't taking any chances. There was an interesting photo leaked to the press of the bomb site a couple of days before with a big manhole cover and a sus-as-hell looking black box next to it, can't find it now though.

If Syria does withdraw there is a real danger of a power vacuum, maybe this time it'll end nicely but lots of people I've spoken to who know about this stuff feel that there will be more violence before it's settled - but Mr Lebanon's sons have fled to avoid assassination already.