My Way News- Lebanese Demonstrations Target Syria:
"BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Thousands of Lebanese students and activists defied government warnings Friday and demonstrated against Syria's domination of their country.
Large numbers of security forces watched, but did not intervene, as about 3,000 students from several universities and right-wing Christian activists converged on downtown Beirut shouting 'Syrians out!'"...............
While the government had declared street protests illegal, the police and troops seemed to heed Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh's instructions to exercise maximum restraint. Hundreds of security forces allowed about 1,000 students from the Sagesse University to march to the downtown area of the national museum.
Prominent members of the opposition had warned the government against using force to stop the protests, saying the world is watching. Previous protests against Syria have ended in violent clashes in the streets.
Students opposed to Syria and other members of the opposition have been buoyed by U.N. and U.S. pressure against Syria in recent months. In September, the United States and France steered Resolution 1559 through the U.N. Security Council. It effectively demanded Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon and stop interfering in the country's internal affairs.
Syria's army crossed into Lebanon in 1976 in the second year of its civil war. By the end of the conflict in 1990, Syria had emerged as the main power broker in the country. Critics accuse Damascus of dominating the country's politics, but the pro-Syrian government says Syria's 14,000 troops are needed to ensure stability.
"BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Thousands of Lebanese students and activists defied government warnings Friday and demonstrated against Syria's domination of their country.
Large numbers of security forces watched, but did not intervene, as about 3,000 students from several universities and right-wing Christian activists converged on downtown Beirut shouting 'Syrians out!'"...............
While the government had declared street protests illegal, the police and troops seemed to heed Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh's instructions to exercise maximum restraint. Hundreds of security forces allowed about 1,000 students from the Sagesse University to march to the downtown area of the national museum.
Prominent members of the opposition had warned the government against using force to stop the protests, saying the world is watching. Previous protests against Syria have ended in violent clashes in the streets.
Students opposed to Syria and other members of the opposition have been buoyed by U.N. and U.S. pressure against Syria in recent months. In September, the United States and France steered Resolution 1559 through the U.N. Security Council. It effectively demanded Syria withdraw its forces from Lebanon and stop interfering in the country's internal affairs.
Syria's army crossed into Lebanon in 1976 in the second year of its civil war. By the end of the conflict in 1990, Syria had emerged as the main power broker in the country. Critics accuse Damascus of dominating the country's politics, but the pro-Syrian government says Syria's 14,000 troops are needed to ensure stability.
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