I'm inclined to agree with the idea of using Syria and, to a lesser extent, Iran, as "bellwethers". Whether we're seeing genuine pro-democracy protests or simply anti-Western overthrows of pro-Western governments using popular discontent as a means to an end may be answered by whether the tide turns against all violently repressive regimes or simply pro-Western ones. It's all well to say, as some have, that Hezbollahs takeover in Syria hasn't brought in Sharia law (after a whole MONTH, almost!) but the fact remains it's not exactly a charge toward democracy, it's the replacement of a government that allowed the CIA to conduct torture illegal in the US with a terrorist organization that will only increase the state sponsored terror that put Syria on the "Axis of Evil" (why we had a terrorist sponsor helping us torture people to stop terrorism is something you'll have to ask Mr. Bush). Beck's off his nut, as usual, but if this "grass roots" "region wide" "pro-democracy" movement merely transforms violently repressive pro-Western regimes into violently repressive anti-Western ones, while leaving already violently repressive anti-Western regimes not only unweakened but strengthened it does raise the very real question of whether the rest of the world has an accurate read on what's going on here. There really are worse people in the world than America. Honest. Taking their side just because they share a distaste for the US is as dangerously foolish as, say, calling Mubarak a socialist just because a liberal says getting rid of him won't automatically improve anything.