Democracy in Lebanon; Syrian Withdrawal Helps Repave the Way

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Byline: Walid Phares, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The sight of Lebanon's youth in Beirut's Martyr Square stunned many in the West and emboldened many more in the Arab world. The revolution was deeply rooted in the country's long traditions of pluralism and democratic expressions, despite past wars.

There is no doubt about it, the Arab world and its surroundings are feeling the shock of Afghanistan and Iraq's elections. Without hope, the peoples of the region won't be able to sustain change and progress on the road to freedom. The Middle East needs a project for democracy, established in its own midst, by its own cultures and aimed at its own future.

This launching pad has to speak its …