Liz Sly is skeptical

"Few Western journalists were granted visas to cover the event, making it hard to ascertain the turnout or the authenticity of the scenes of exuberant crowds thronging polling stations that were broadcast on state television." Well, Ms. Sly: why not ascertain the turnout or the authenticity of the scenes of exuberant crowds among Syrian voters in Lebanon?  No one is stopping you there.