Protestors in Lebanon Demand Resignation of Prime Minister Saniora

JEFFREY BROWN:

Anthony, this was clearly a major demonstration you witnessed today. How seriously is it being taken by people you're talking to, in terms of its potential impact on Lebanon's future?

ANTHONY SHADID:

I think it's being taken very seriously in Lebanon here. There is a sense that this crisis has escalated pretty dramatically; in some ways, it's become a popular confrontation with what we saw today, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people in downtown Beirut.

Thousands have vowed to stay until the government falls. You know, there is a sense of this crisis building, of this crisis escalating. Neither side necessarily sees a way out of it. In fact, there isn't a way out without one side winning or losing.

But I think what's more dramatic for a lot of people in Lebanon is that we're seeing even two faces of the country, actually, face-to-face right now. We're seeing, you know, the Lebanon that might be represented by Hezbollah, its political culture, its perspective on life, its ideology, up against a government that represents a very different perspective of Lebanon, one more accommodationist, in some ways, of Israel, for instance, one more Western and backed by the United States and France.

It is a contest between two very different countries at this point.

JEFFREY BROWN:

Well, the opposition was first demanding more power in the government. Are they now demanding — the people you talk to — to actually bring down the government? And do they think they can do it?

ANTHONY SHADID:

You know, there's perhaps still a compromise out there, some kind of reformulation of the cabinet that would give Hezbollah more power. What Hezbollah has been seeking for it and its allies is basically what they call a blocking third. It would be a third of the cabinet that would allow them to veto any government decision they disagreed with.

The government has obviously rejected that; they're opposed to that idea. At this point, Hezbollah says it's not going to end these protests until it does force the government to resign, force it to formulate a new cabinet.

Now, you know, as recently as yesterday, the prime minister said that — he rejected that flatly. He said it was an attempted coup, and he was not going to accept Hezbollah's demands.

There is a question of, you know, again, where this goes. Can Hezbollah actually bring about enough pressure to force the government to resign? It's going to play out over probably days, even weeks. And right now there is that sense. I mean, the streets are very loud, even right now with thousands of people down there. They're going to stay put there for at least, you know, at least the short term.