(Reuters) The Lebanese parliament voted last week to keep Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud in office for another three years, a change widely seen as imposed by Syria. Many Lebanese were angry that the constitution was amended. "Even the weather was black, like the depressed faces of the people," said Jibran Tweini in the Beirut daily An-Nahar, which carried an "honor roll" of the 29 deputies who voted against the extension. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said: "The vote does not reflect the will of the Lebanese people. It was forced upon them by an occupying force." Syria has 17,000 troops in Lebanon and is the final authority in the country.
2004-09-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive