A Good Day

It would, of course, be possible to go on for pages about all the things that are not perfect about the newly established international tribunal. Lebanese are still divided, the will of the international community might not extend to actually doing anything against Syria, and there is something fundamentally unsavory about Lebanese putting their hopes for salvation on something that happened in New York City. But I don't really want to write about any of that. This is the Middle East, and justice -- even imperfect justice -- is hard to come by.

There were scattered celebrations and fireworks on the street last night. But my favorite touch were the candles placed in doorways, and lining the Corniche. For my money, I prefer that simple and elegant form of political statement to the massive, baroque rallies that seem to be all the rage in Lebanon. There is a quiet confidence to all of the candles that no political rally, no matter how big or loud, can ever quite match.

In other news, Syria is continuing its quest to be the world's least subtle regime. A concussion grenade exploded near St. Michael's Church in Beirut, mere minutes after the UN vote establishing the tribunal. The next journalist to frame the current wave of violence as an "Al Qaeda vs. Lebanon" fight should be fired on the spot.

While we're on the topic, Syria's official objection to the international tribunal complained that the court "violates Lebanese sovereignty." Because we all know Syria has always been dreadfully concerned about Lebanese sovereignty.