RARE GOOD NEWS FROM THE MIDEAST - AT 7:46 P.M. ET: 

BEIRUT, Lebanon — An American-backed alliance appeared to retain control of the Lebanese parliament Sunday in a hotly contested election that had been billed as a showdown between Tehran and Washington for influence in the Middle East.

Preliminary results reported on Lebanese television showed the alliance, known as the March 14 coalition, had not only won — but widened — its majority in the parliament. If those results are confirmed, they would represent a significant and unexpected defeat for Hezbollah and its allies, Iran and Syria. Most polls in Lebanon had showed a tight race, but one in which the Hezbollah-led group would win.

COMMENT:  No question.  That's good news.  Whether it had anything to do with President Obama's "outreach" to the Muslim world remains to be seen.  But we welcome any good news from that region.

June 7, 2009