Syrian Influence in Lebanon; Psychedelic Therapy for PTSD

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Segment #1: The Struggle over Syria's Influence in Lebanon
Former President Clinton will go back to the hospital Thursday, so doctors can remove fluid and scar tissue that resulted from his recent arterial bypass operation. Doctors call it -relatively routine, and aids say it won-t stop him from today's White House meeting about tsunami relief. Meantime, as President Bush spoke at the National Defense University, saying that Syrian soldiers must leave Lebanon so that -free and fair- elections can be held in May, pro-Syrian demonstrators in Beirut vastly outnumbered crowds demanding that Syria leave their country. We hear more about the President-s speech, a report from Beirut, and analysis of what the outcome of free and fair elections might be.

Segment #2: Psychedelic Therapy for Suffers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
In Word War I, it was -shell shock;- in World War II and Korea, it was -combat fatigue.- In the aftermath of Vietnam, it got the name -Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,- and it-s become one of the most difficult problems for veterans of the war in Iraq. Although regulations implementing the war on drugs declare Ecstasy a substance with no medical purpose, the Food and Drug Administration has approved trials of the psychedelic drug on veterans with PTSD. Do such hallucinogens have medical uses? We hear from those who've investigated PTSD and treated its sufferers, as well as a former director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

President Clinton's upcoming medical procedure

Presidents Bush, Clinton on tsunami relief

President Bush at National Defense University

New York Times article on Bush's call for Syrian pullout of Lebanon

National Centers for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Ecstacy (NDMA), National Institute of Drug Abuse on

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Host:

Warren Olney