Day By Day

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

What Does Lebanon Mean?

Rami G. Khouri tries to figure it out in a nice piece today's Daily Star. It is clear that the ramifications of the Beirut demonstrations reach far beyond the boundaries of Lebanon or Syria.
Something very important to the Arab world continues to take place on the streets of Beirut, and it is not primarily about being pro- or anti-Syrian. Neither is it mainly about political anthropology - the counting of headscarves, bellybutton rings, beards and designer shoes among the street demonstrators, in order to note their ethnic, religious and ideological identity.

Having attended all the demonstrations, I am convinced that Lebanon these days represents a historic, unprecedented drive for national self-determination by Arab citizens. The Lebanese seek to define three crucial aspects of their national identity and power structure that no Arab citizenry has ever done in the past eight decades or so of nominal Arab independence: first, the nature of their sovereignty and political configuration; second, the nature of their relations with neighboring states and foreign powers; and third, the relationship among their own military-security sector, the average citizen, and the institutions of governance.

He has some important things to say. Read it here.

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