It's Thursday this must be Beirut

Condoleezza Rice told reporters as she flew into Beirut from Saudi Arabia on a surprise, but very brief visit yesterday the purpose of her visit was to support the Lebanese government.

"The sole purpose of the trip is to express support for the Lebanese people and the Lebanese government as they continue to try to recover fully their sovereignty,"

She later said after talks with Fuad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister, that it was "time to reiterate and to affirm the firm support of the United States of America for the Lebanese people".

During her 4 hour visit she met officials and politicians who are trying to establish Lebanon's independence from Syria. Rice reiterated Washington's call for disarming anti-Israel Hizb Allah fighters in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1559, but indicated there was no deadline for the government to do so. "This is part of an evolutionary process that is going on in Lebanon and we have tried to be supportive of that process that the Lebanese themselves are carrying out," she said.

"But there is no doubt that 1559 is going to have to be implemented."

Rice held talks with Walid Jumblatt and Saad al-Hariri, son of the Rafik Hariri who was assassinated just over a year ago. She also met Maronite Christian cleric, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir.

Rice, who initially said she would only speak on the phone with Nabih Berri, parliament speaker, a close ally to Damascus, later changed her plans and paid him a brief visit.

Busy lady , let's hope she packed enough clothes to cope with her jet set life. Mind you, the way the ordure is building up back in Washington, Dubya is going to be calling for some bathroom time ... now there's trouble in Manila .. better hop on a plane.