First the good news: Lebanon goes to the elections

Lebanon's 'Cedar Revolution' and the subsequent elections being held today are still cause for celebration, but there is still concern that the 'unity of purpose' brought about by combined opposition to Syrian rule will collapse back into sectarian conflict after the election, no matter who wins.

Despite the problems, Publius Pundit at least is still optimistic:

In the very least, there is at least one thing to remember which should evoke hope in this process. After this election, there will undoubtedly be a new election law. And most importantly, the Lebanese elections will be free of Syrian influence. This means that the politicians who will be running the country will no longer have to pander to the Syrian regime, but instead to the people of Lebanon. Because of this, I believe that despite the current disillusionment with the various parties and Hizb’allah’s arms problem, Lebanon has already well begun its trek toward a healthy political environment.

Read his observations on the elections here.