Anti-Syrian Lebanese politician killed in blast

A voice of dissent has been silenced in the Middle East. On Wednesday, a "massive bombing," according to an article on CNN.com, claimed the life of well known anti-Syrian Lebanese parliamentary representative Antoine Ghanem. It is believed that the bomb was indeed meant to kill the vocal oppositionist to Syrian rule, according to CNN, which credited a high-ranking Lebanese official as confirming. Ghaned represented the Phalange Party, known for its anti-Syrian leanings.

The article quotes parliamentarian Walid Jumblatt as calling the murder "a bloody message," as according to CNN, "...it reduces the parliamentary majority from 69 to 68, preventing them from electing "a free president for Lebanon." This comes on the heels of a number of high-ranking assassinations in Lebanon over the last few years, with many suspecting Syrian involvement, as quite a few of the victims were related to anti-Syrian political causes.

CNN reports that the bombing ripped through a Christian neighborhood, ultimately killing five and wounding twenty.

Again, Syria denied any involvement with the bombings.

Only a few months ago, another pro-Lebanon independence/anti-Syrian politician, Walid Eido, was murdered by a bombing, which also claimed the lives of innocent others around him. In February 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated. Soon followed strong anti-Syrian feelings in Lebanon and a push to force out some Syrian forces from the land.