Thousands of Syrians streamed into central Damascus today to show support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is facing international pressure over neighbouring Lebanon.
"With our souls and blood we sacrifice ourselves for Assad," chanted the crowds, waving Syrian flags and carrying pictures of their young president, who has pledged to pull his troops out of Lebanon following weeks of anti-Syrian protests in Beirut.
Demonstrators burned American flags in another part of Damascus and riot police set up barriers near the US embassy.
The Damascus demonstrations came a day after hundreds of thousands of Lebanese showed up to a pro-Syrian rally called by Hizbollah militant group in Beirut yesterday.
The February 14th killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri sparked angry protests in Beirut against Syria which they blamed for the assassination.
The accusations, denied by the Syrian government, have offended ordinary Syrians. Mr Assad announced on Saturday that Syrian troops would withdraw from Lebanon, which they entered early in Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, but said Damascus would still have a role its neighbour.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's president looked set to ask the outgoing pro-Syrian prime minister to form a government today, a step sure to anger the anti-Syrian opposition who pressured him to resign in the first place.
President Emile Lahoud, buoyed by yesterday's Beirut rally, began consultations with MPs that were likely to preserve Syria's political grip on its much smaller neighbour.
Under Lebanon's constitution, Mr Lahoud is required to meet all parliamentary groups to take their nominations then announce the prime minister whose name came up most.
Officials said the talks would last through the day.