Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, has implied that his government may soon resign, reports the BBC. Four government ministers have already resigned. The ruckus is in reaction to Syria’s meddling in internal Lebanese affairs. Due to pressure exerted by Syria, Lebanon’s parliament voted September 3 to amend the country’s constitution and allow President Emile Lahoud to remain in power for another 3 years. Lebanon’s constitution had originally banned any president from serving two consecutive terms in office. Lahoud was due to finish his first 6-year term in November.

On September 9, Hariri stated,

The last cabinet session will be on the 20th. And after that there will be change.

Mr. Hariri has held the position of prime minister for almost 12 years. Hariri’s stand is not entirely clear as he first opposed the constitutional amendment, then voted for it, and now is hinting at the government’s resignation.

The four ministers whom actually did resign all voted against the amendment. One of them is a Christian, Environment Minister Fares Boueiz, and the other three are from Druze leader Walid Jumblatt's party.

Pressure has been building on Syria for some time now to end its development of weapons of mass destruction, end its support for terrorism, prevent terrorists from entering Iraq, and end its 27-year occupation of Lebanon.

The U.S. passed the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act in late 2003. Sanctions were imposed on Syria by the U.S. on May 12 of this year. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution demanding an end to Syrian interference in Lebanese affairs on September 3. U.S. envoy William Burns told Syria to quit Lebanon on September 11. Finally, Israel has threatened to strike terrorist bases inside Syria.

According to the BBC,

Observers say the Syrian regime's foreign policy these days is made up of a series of blunders and miscalculations which are increasingly isolating Damascus and putting it at odds not only with the US but also the EU.

Amen.