"After his ouster (this 'smiley man of integrity') chose to leave & claim his life was in danger ..."

Via FLC

With these odds, FLC says: 'President Assad, please proceed with reforms!'

"... Lebanese American University political science professor Imad Salamey says some Hariri supporters felt let down by Saad Hariri's apparent willingness to make a deal with Hezbollah.
It was brokered by the Syrians and the Saudis, to abandon the U.N.-backed tribunal probe in exchange for Hezbollah consolidating its weapons with the Lebanese army's...
“He admitted that his position cost him a lot of support and many people felt betrayed....
For the last two months, Hariri has lived at his Paris home, saying there are threats against his safety in Lebanon. American University in Beirut political science professor Hilal Khashan says his absence under such circumstances contributes to him looking weak. “The fact that after his ouster from office of prime minister he chose to leave Lebanon and claimed that his life was in danger, that did not sit well with the Lebanese Sunni community," said Khashan. "Just imagine if President Obama receives a life threat, would he leave the U.S.? This has not worked in his favor. A strong leader does not abandon his community and his constituency.”
But along the waterfront, people identifying themselves as Sunnis did not necessarily agree with the experts...

Saleh Dabbagh, 51, a retired businessman, applauds Hariri’s.... "Just look at him. He's a smiley one, he is a good one, good heart. And especially he is Lebanese, excuse me, not Syrian, not Iranian, he is Lebanese.”...
Salamey says if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is toppled, that could improve the political fortunes of both Lebanese Sunnis and Saad Hariri.
“If the Alawite regime in Syria collapses and then you have a greater power shifting in favor of the Sunnis in Syria, that will definitely strengthen Sunnis in Lebanon, and will tilt the balance in their favor against Shiites, and particularly Hezbollah. So that will help Hariri in that regard,” said Salamey. Khashan agrees, noting that as long as Assad hangs on, Hariri's political prospects are dim.“If the situation in Syria shifts in another direction, then Hariri will stand to be a major beneficiary. If Assad holds on to power you may say goodbye to him,” said Khashan..."

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian