Lebanon will demonstrate whether democracy stands a chance in the Middle East. Right now, it's a flip of the coin. -- Alan C. By Alan Caruba For anyone who is not Lebanese, trying to understand what is happening in a nation long regarded as an example of how Christians and Muslims could work together to govern and prosper remains a confusing matrix of competing religious factions. Lebanon, i.e. Beirut, was the Paris of the Middle East. It was modern and cosmopolitan. It was a financial hub. It was a place where a Muslim could go and enjoy its secular pleasures. That was, of course, prior to its fifteen year civil war from 1975 to 1990. It was triggered by an influx of heavily armed Palestinian refugees, many of whom arrived after being driven out of Jordan followed a failed attempt to overthrow the Hashemite monarchy. Today, Lebanon is the misbegotten child of French colonialism and its present troubles are usually dated to its independence in 1943. Prior to that it was a French protectorate,

Lebanese civil defense workers and firefighters inspect the car that exploded for any possible casualties in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, July 22, 2005. A bomb exploded on a busy Beirut street known for its restaurants, bars and nightlife late Friday, wounding two persons, security officials said. The blast came hours after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice left Beirut after a surprise visit in support of Lebanon's new government. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) To view More Pictures pls click READ MORE AP - Jul 22 1:57 PM

BEIRUT, Lebanon - A bomb exploded on a narrow street crowded with bars and restaurants late Friday, wounding 12 people just hours after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the area, officials said. The blast, from a bomb placed near a car parked in front of a restaurant, panicked the hundreds of people dining or smoking water pipes in the bustling sidewalk cafes on popular Monot Street. Lebanese families and Arab tourists, including black-veiled women visiting from the Gulf, scattered.Three cars were damaged by the 50-pound bomb. Security and hospital officials said 12 people were wounded.Lebanon has seen a string of bomb assassinations of politicians and other figures in recent months

BEIRUT (Reuters) – A loud explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut wounded seven people near a busy street of restaurants and bars …