Interesting spillover of the Syrian civil car into Lebanon, where Sunni and Alawite factions are shooting it out in Tripoli, north of Beirut. That translates to anti-Assad and pro-Assad, since the Assads are Alawite.
The ruling government in Lebanon doesn't have a dog in the fight on ethnic grounds, since they are Shia (Hezbollah is their main party) with some pro-Syrian Christians thrown in; the rival Sunnis and heterodox Alawites aren't liked by the Shia, thus it's a bit like Catholics looking on while Protestants and Mormons have at it. To the extent that Syria is pro-Shia in Lebanese politics, the Shia like Assad, but it's possible that they are keeping their distance from things in order to be on the good side of whoever emerges out of the Syrian mess.
The prime minister is a Sunni, but that's because he has to be per Lebanon's constitution; however, he's likely politically on board with the Shia-dominated government.
Lebanese troops have moved in along what might become Tripoli's Green Line between the factions. How much effort they do to keep them apart remains to be seen.
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