Change bad

It was inevitable... The popular movement in Lebanon has brought down the pro-Syrian government this week. Syria is a Baathist state that essentially controls Lebanon. So clearly, the people of Lebanon asserting themselves is a bad thing and using this as an opportunity to redefine Syria's role in the region would be even worse. Kicking the Syrians out of Lebanon would be reckless. Afterall, why should the Lebanese have sovereignty? (sovereignty only matters when you're looking for an excuse not to stop a genocide) This could shake things up in Syria, and given how well things are going there, surely that would be disastrous. So what is the solution?

In the end, the most promising (if gradual) course for promoting reform in Syria is to engage and empower Mr. Assad, not to isolate and overthrow him.

You know, I am so sick to death of the perspective that we should be nice to dictators and treat them well when they behave a little less badly. Has it ever worked? And will somebody please explain to me what is so freakin' wonderful about the status quo that we need to maintain it? You know for a fact that the same people who are urging caution now were the same one's who were urging caution just before the Berlin Wall fell. I wonder what it's like to be consistently on the wrong side of history. Learn your lesson and shut up!