Can Lebanons rival camps elect president?
BEIRUT, Lebanon – Lebanon’s protracted political crisis now revolves around choosing a new president to succeed Emile Lahoud, a pro-Syrian figure whose term expires in November. Rifts between the anti-Syrian governing coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition cast doubt on parliament’s ability to choose a replacement for Lahoud, whose own term was controversially extended in 2004 at Syria’s behest. The pro-government coalition wants to ensure the next president shares its goals of keeping Lebanon free of Syrian control and backing U.N. efforts to bring the assassins of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri and others to justice. Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, and its allies favour a president who will not allow Lebanon to fall into Washington’s orbit or pursue U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding that the Shi’ite Muslim guerrilla group disarm. Here are answers to questions about the election and what might happen if it fails to take place. HOW DOES IT WORK? Leban
