Another Lebanese MP Assassinated

Walid Eido, a parliamentarian from the anti-Syrian Future Movement, whose coalition has a majority in the Parliament, was assassinated in a major car bombing in beirut. He is the second anti-Syrian politician killed since the assassination of MP and Industry Minister, Pierre Gemayel in November. This bombing occurred after Fatah al Islam's leader threatened to kill Lebanese politicians. The politicians that were threatened were all of the anti-Syrian variety. The bombing killed Eido's sons bodyguards and a few pedestrians. - Al Jazeera

The Lebanese Parliament now has 126 members of parliament out of 128 seats. President Emile Lahoud refused to sign any bills with the current government whom he accuses of being illegitimate, and has prevented the appointment of Gemayel's successor. It would be fair to say that Lahoud would do it again. The day that Gemayel was assassinated, the office of Michel Pharaon, the Minister for Parliamentary affairs, had his office riddled by bullets. If he was assassinated, it would bring down the pro-Western government. The ruling coalition, when it was elected back in 2005 had 72 seats in the 128 seat parliament. Since then they have lost four members, two from assassinations, one from natural causes, and one Alawite MP(Lebanese government is a confessional based), who left the coalition last week. In a few months the Parliament gets to pick a new president, but if the anti-Syrian coalition loses four more seats then they would lose the majority and will be unable to pick a successor to the pro-Syrian Lahoud. The blog Across the Bay explains it very well.

The situation in Lebanon has gotten more and more tense since the passing of the Hariri Tribunal at the UN Security Council. Syria has warned the Security Council that the Tribunal would destablize Lebanon. The recent Syria inspired violence, along with Iran's hostile actions in Iraq and Afghanistan against American interests has put the US in a precarious position. Iran and Syria have declared open war against the US all over the Middle East. The US must figure out away to put a halt to this. Syria's support for terrorism has only increased since 9/11. Personally, I think diplomatic relations should be broken in protests of Assad's blatant tyranny and the regime should be strangled with a whole range of sanctions.