Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a surprise visit to volatile Lebanon under heavy guard Friday to encourage a new democratic government outside Syrian control.
Rice met with Saad Hariri, son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Together, they visited the seaside grave of the elder Hariri, an anti-Syrian politician slain in a February car bombing. Afterwards, she went directly to the Presidential Palace for a meeting with Lebanon's pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.
This will be an opportunity first of all to congratulate the Lebanon people on their incredible desire for democracy," Rice said en route to Beirut.
Rice's visit comes three days after formation of a new Cabinet led by Prime Minister-designate Foud Saniora.
"They keep pressing forward and they have now formed a government," Rice said. "I look forward to meeting and see how the international community and the United States in particular can be supportive."
I'm sure Secretary Rice was better received in Lebanon than she was in Sudan. Her presence in Lebanon is a great move to aid the democratic movements in Lebanon and further isolates and puts additional pressure on the Syrians.
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