The leader of the Christian political party Lebanese Forces, who has been in jail for over eleven years, has been given parole by the new parliament, thus securing one of the major demands of the original anti-Syrian opposition.

Church bells rang across Lebanon’s Christian heartland Monday as parliament overwhelmingly passed a parole bill that put Lebanese Forces commander Samir Geagea on the homestretch of his race to freedom, hopefully by the end of the week.

Long convoys of cars with honking horns joyously toured the streets of Besharri, Geagea’s hometown in north Lebanon’s cedar mountains and around his house in suburban Zouk Mosbeh north of Beirut just as TV networks interrupted the regular programs to flash out the passage of the freedom bill.

Giant Geagea portraits adorned by roses, national and LF banners, were hoisted over each of the cars in the wildly cheering caravans amid calls blared by loudspeakers to refrain from provocation or law-breaking acts.

“This is a dream that came true. We waited for it for 11 years, 2 months and some days,” Mrs. Geagea told reporters after leaving parliament in all-white dress, which she described as a wedding gown. “History has been made and Lebanon’s civil war is finally over.”

The vote was unanimous for Geagea. Hizbullah’s 13 legislators walked out of the hall when the vote was called to avoid casting ‘no’ ballots or abstain. An earlier vote for the release of the Dinniyeh and Majdal Anjar detainees was near unanimous, with only one legislator voting against.

Gen. Aoun and Walid Jumblat failed to attend the session. But Saad Hariri, who treasures his Tayyar Al Mustaqbal alliance with the LF, jetted back from a private visit to his family in the Saudi capital of Riyadh in time to attend and vote.

The LBCI said once the legal process for enforcing the parole bill is completed, probably by the weekend, Geagea would be taken straight from the Yarze prison to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri airport for a trip with his wife Sitrida to a European capital, most probably London.

Geagea, 53, has lost a lot of weight in prison. He would be admitted to a hospital to undergo extensive medical tests and be nourished back to normal before returning home to take up his role among Lebanon’s policymakers.

It seems that the parole bill will include amnesty for other LF activists as well. A notable absentation from the vote is Walid Jumblatt and Michel Aoun, who fought against Geagea back during the civil war. Yes, the war is now officially over, but that won’t stop these two from being punks. As if the country needed a reminder that many of their leaders are borderline bipolar when it suits them. I have a feeling we may see a much more tactful display from Geagea himself. It would look very good for him to come out of jail seemingly without a grudge. He has, in fact, been in constant touch with his wife, Sitrada, who has a seat in parliament, so it wouldn’t be as if he didn’t have a clue as to the current political atmosphere.

The Lebanese Forces supporters are, of course, elated. Their forum organizers have posted a bunch of pictures of the celebrations, so check that out. One thing I would like to add, though, is that Sitrada is definitely a “babe of politics.”