The US accuses Syria of meddling in Lebanon. Syria warns Bush to keep his hands off Beirut. Maybe they should both just stay away. That, at least, is what an editorial in Lebanon's English paper the Daily Star argues.

Dec. 14, 2006- Lebanon surpasses all other devices in its ability to bring forth various forms of hypocrisy from foreign governments. This quality has been on periodic display for decades, but the past few weeks have seen an intensification of the show.

Wednesday was especially productive in this regard, witnessing as it did comments from both Washington and Damascus. Syrian President Bashar Assad opened with an admonition that America and other Western countries should refrain from "intervening in the affairs of Lebanon."

US President George W. Bush then took center stage with a demand that Syria "cease its efforts to undermine Lebanese sovereignty." Observers of both countries' policies vis-a-vis this one could only shake their heads in wonderment at how either leader could have expected to be taken seriously.

To Assad's credit, he at least paid lip service to Lebanon's independence by stating that "the Lebanese are capable of understanding each other regarding their domestic issues." Bush's secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, was not nearly so diplomatic in an interview earlier this week, declaring to all that the world that "we understand who Lebanon's enemies are."

The United States and Syria are not alone in either a penchant for interfering in Lebanon or a comedic tendency to impugn others for doing exactly the same thing. Other offenders include Britain, France, Iran and Saudi Arabia, to name but a few. None has hesitated to stir the Lebanese pot with its own set of spoons, and none has been reticent about warning others to stay out of the kitchen.

Their respective clients in the Lebanese political arena mimic their masters' behavior, bombarding one another with accusations of heeding foreign orders. The result is a crisis in which the indigenous players have lost whatever freedom of action they ever had because each becomes more beholden to outside forces with every escalation in tensions.

All of this, assuredly, is not to say that nefarious foreigners are solely responsible for Lebanon's travails, past and present. In fact, the problem has long been -- and continues to be -- that would-be meddlers have so little trouble finding pliant local minions to do their bidding. Lebanese politicians might therefore be described as pawns in proxy struggles among outside powers, but they are anything but innocent bystanders.

Much of the current debate involves the makeup of the Cabinet and how it might be improved so as to be more representative. As this newspaper has repeatedly said, it would be refreshing if one or more of the parties involved would articulate detailed policy proposals so that voters might divine how they intend to govern.

It would be even more encouraging if each of them would vow to keep Lebanon's decision-making process within Lebanon's borders -- and then keep their word. That would be a real unity government.

Reprinted with the kind permission of Lebanon's English language Daily Star newspaper.