US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Saturday called or Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon so that its small neighbour could enjoy âfull sovereigntyâ.
| Keep pounding them, Colin... |
âSyria has been in Lebanon for a number of years. We have always made it clear that we would like to see Syria withdraw from Lebanon, for Lebanon to enjoy full sovereignty over its land and over its people,â Powell told reporters at Kuwait International Airport. Powell said that Washington was not interested in force-feeding democratic reform to the Middle East. The administration of US President George W Bush believes a deficit in political and economic freedom in the Muslim world is a key factor fuelling terrorism and has said it intends to promote democratic reform in the Middle East. âIt must come from within the region,â Powell said.
| See what I mean about using "democracy" as shorthand? |
âIt must come from each country examining its own history, its own culture, its own state, social and political development and making a judgement as to how it is going to go forward into the future.â Powell was speaking ahead of leaving Kuwait where he held talks with the leaders of the Gulf Arab state which recently said it welcomes reforms in the Middle East but that they must be home-grown not imposed from outside.
| The problem is that some of the soil isn't at all conducive to growing reforms. They'll have to be imported. |
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