A witty Arab artist, when asked, “What message would you like to send to future Arab generations?” ironically replied: “I’d tell them not to come.”

The new chapter in Syria, which began after it turned the page on almost 54 years of Assadist rule in December, could be undermined by the painful developments earlier this month.

Safeguarding victory is often more difficult than achieving it.

That is self-evident, all the more so when powers and factions are eagerly seeking to overturn the shifts we saw in Syria a few months ago.

Following the bitter objections of the “Shiite duo” to Nawaf Salam’s designation as Lebanese prime minister, he is seeking to reassure them by stressing that he has two choices: accommodation or … accommodation.

The past week will be a turning point for Lebanon by all measures. Observers agree that this was no ordinary presidential election and not only because it ended a long-standing presidential vacuum that reflected a systemic political crisis.

I am not a fan of the excessive use of the term “minorities,” let alone exploiting it to reshape nations based on external interests.

It must be said that very few of us anticipated the developments in Syria that unfolded over a month ago. A 54-year chapter in the history of the country ended in less than two weeks — a massive achievement.

Regardless of what one says, words remain inadequate for doing justice to the major shift that Syria has seen over the past week.

The latest speech made by new Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem was extremely important for several reasons, in terms of both its timing and content.