Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Beirut Monday, one week after a car bomb which killed the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. They are continuing to blame Syria for the killing and are demanding that Damascus remove its troops from Lebanon.
The Syrians continue to deny any role in the bombing, but international suspicions remain high. The United Nations plans to send a team to investigate and President Bush has renewed his call for Syria to remove its political and military presence from Lebanon.
But beyond the fury in the recent war of words, will the power play against Syria result in real change for that country, or for the region?
Guests:
Michael Young, Lebanese political analyst and columnist for the Daily Star newspaper in Beirut.
Edward Walker, CEO and president of the Middle East Institute, former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
Ammar Abdulhamid, Syrian novelist and founder of the civic awareness activist group DarEmar.
Josh Landis, assistant professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.