Syrian troops have finally left Lebanon. Their entry in 1976 was to rescue the right-wing Maronite sectarian forces, and their withdrawal today will empower the right-wing Maronite sectarian forces. The Syrian army leaves behind a large collection of corrupt, unprincipled, and ruthless Lebanese politicians who were installed by Syrian intervention, and who are now the loudest critics of Syria. These were the same people who used to take orders from the head of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon, and will now scramble to find some other foreign officer to take orders from. The undemocratic security regime that was put in place by the Syrian regime in Lebanon would not have worked or lasted without the active participation of so many Lebanese. But since when are the Lebanese willing or able to engage in self-criticism--the real act, and not the fake Leninist one? This is the dirty nature of Lebanese politics. But who will the Lebanese people blame now for their failures, corruption, deceptions, conflicts, and blunders? They may go back to blaming the Palestinians in Lebanon. Syrian intervention in the past was justified as "brotherly Arab" support, and French-US-Saudi intervention will now be justified as "international legitimacy." Will this country ever be really independent? NO.