Lebanon's so-called compromise

So much talk and fear has been instilled in Lebanon and world capitals as a result of this contentious presidential election.

Neither the US nor France will accept a candidate favoured to Syria or Iran, and vice versa. The Opposition will boycott parliament if it's not happy with the candidate, and the ruling coalition has warned it will simply ignore the constitution altogether and elect a president with a simple majority instead of a two-third quorum.

All this tension has raised the fear of renewed civil conflict, and world diplomats are flying in and out of Lebanon, to every regional capital, to Brussels, Paris, Washington, London, when a simple solution to this problem is staring us all right in the face.

Ever heard of the Lebanese people? Has anyone asked them who they would prefer as their president? It baffles me that the Western and Arab media, who have so extensively warned of the dangers if a president isn't decided by November 24th, have failed to raise this obvious solution.

Who is exactly doing the electing in this election? US, France, Syria, Iran, and the warlords of our country? Well it makes as much sense. Half of the Lebanese parliament represents the US and France, and the other half represents Syria and Iran ... there's no room in this "democratic" equation for the Lebanese people.