Don't look now, but it would appear that when precedent is set (and backed up), that it may after all be possible to spread democracy to the most violent region of the world.
With the collapse of the Lebanese government, peacefully might I add, it is yet another step, a big step for Lebanon, in the quickly transforming Arab region. While I am cautious as to the end result, even critics must admit that the political shift in the region has been faster and more dramatic than any time in recent history.
It is a basic rule of thumb for goverment (all government, even repressive dictatorships/monarchies), that when the people speak up, the establishment listens. If you are loud enough, things change. Hopefully we are witnessing the first stages of a democratic epidemic.