Lebanese Cabinet Minister Assassinated

Oh, this has not been a good day. According to the AP:

Pierre Gemayel, an anti-Syrian politician and scion of Lebanon's most prominent Christian family, was gunned down Tuesday in an assassination that heightened tensions amid a showdown between opponents and allies of Syria that threatens to topple the U.S.-backed government. Gemayel, 34, was the fifth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in the past two years and the first member of the government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to be slain.

A few thoughts:

1. Whenever I link from Yahoo News, they add their tagline at the end. Usually I delete it but occasionally it will create an inadvertent joke, like the 'in my pants' game, e.g. Lebanese Cabinet minister is killed on Yahoo! News

2. It's amazing that there's been so many assassinations that the story needs to qualify which number killing this makes. It's like counting Dead Kennedys.

3. This news story seems to say that Syria killed the Lebanese Christian. But didn't James Baker just announce that Syria was our good buddy? Isn't Syria supposed to help us with Iraq?

According to that linked WP story:

Some prominent U.S. officials say that engaging in talks with adversaries such as Syria and Iran is key to curbing the violence. The Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by former secretary of state James A. Baker III and former congressman Lee H. Hamilton, is expected to recommend such action in its report, set to come out next month.

Syria being supported by Baker is matched by Hamas being helped by W (who insisted that they be included in February's elections). And now Syria is encroaching from the North and Hamas is using human baby shields to help launch Kassams from the South. Thanks Baker & Bush!