[IowaStatePhiPsi]

I'm sure you see the irony in this statement. If you don't, please go bash your head against some cement and try again.

Lebanese troops circle Syria's Beirut intelligence offices
Syrian president expected to pull back some troops from Lebanon
Saturday, March 5, 2005 Posted: 8:24 AM EST (1324 GMT)

DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- Lebanese army troops and armored vehicles took up positions Saturday around the Syrian intelligence headquarters in Beirut.

The move comes ahead of an expected announcement from Syrian President Bashar Assad, within a few hours, that he will withdraw some troops from Lebanon and redeploy others within the country.

Assad is to make the announcement to the Syria's People's Assembly, the Syrian news agency SANA reported Friday.

Lebanon's defense minister Abdul-Rahim Murad said he expected Assad to announce a pullback of troops to the Bekaa region in eastern Lebanon, near the Syrian border, but not a full withdrawal from the country, The Associated Press reported.

When asked whether the redeployment meant a full withdrawal, Murad answered, "No."

Massive Lebanese protests and mounting international concern is pressuring Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon.

U.S. President Bush added to the pressure Friday, saying, "The world is beginning to speak with one voice. We want that democracy in Lebanon to succeed, and we know it cannot succeed so long as she is occupied by a foreign power."