Did the Anti-US demonstration Really turn Anti-Regime? A Second Witness
A second observer of the demonstration outside of the Communist Party in Damascus gives us a different point of view of what happened. Anyone who took interest in the story about how a "Anti-US demonstration became anti-regime" should read it.
Khaled Yacoub Oweis has a good analysis article published by Reuters called, "Syria confident of surviving U.S. pressure" (21 Mar 2006). It is worth a read. His central argument is that the Iraq disaster has blown new life into and served to relegitimized the Asad regime in Syria. This is an observation that has been made on Syria Comment for some time. From all accounts the Asad regime is likely to be around for some time to come. As one foreign diplomat is quoted as saying:
"The United States has no appetite for military action against Syria. There is no chance of popular revolt and a coup is unlikely, although the Syrians are not off the hook completely over the Hariri killing," one diplomat said.Hugh Macleod who lives in Damascus and is editor of Syria Today has a good article on the Syrian oppoition. SYRIA: Domestic opposition gaining strength, but still facing pressures
“Khaddam preparing a ‘political [surprise]’ Thanks to Mideastwire.com
In its March 22 edition, Al Rai Al Aam, an independent daily reported that: “A source in the Syrian opposition told Al Rai Al Aam yesterday in Paris, that the former Syrian vice-president, Abdel Halim Khaddam, has prepared a ‘political bomb’ that will be launched soon, following his successful meeting with the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood abroad, Ali Sadreddine Al Bayanouni. The source that is very close to Khaddam, confirmed that delegations from the opposition in the US and Germany, have visited Paris in the last few days and met with Khaddam who had just returned from Brussels, where he met with Al Bayanouni. The two have established the ‘National Salvation Front’, a name that was suggested by Khaddam himself, ‘in reference to the similar front that was established in Lebanon during the first years of the civil war’ and that Khaddam himself orchestrated…
“In a statement sent by ‘Rally for Syria’ to the offices of Al Rai Al Aam in Paris, Fahed Al Agha Al Masri, the general coordinator of the Rally stated that: ‘We support the call of MP Walid Jumblatt, the head of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, for a meeting between the forces of the national Syrian and Lebanese opposition. These meetings are the fundamental pillars of reform and help restore the Lebanese-Syrian relations that were undermined by the terrorist and oppressive regime in Damascus. The Rally for Syria will try to hold the first meeting between the Syrian and the Lebanese opposition forces at the end of next month…’
“Lately, Khaddam had increased his calls with Lebanese officials, amongst which [include] MP Saad Al Hariri and Mrs. Nazik Al Hariri, and had received a while ago, MP Akram Shehayeb who was delegated by Jumblatt. While Khaddam avoided giving further details regarding the upcoming political initiative, that is referred to by those who are close to him as ‘the bomb’, sources in the opposition indicated that calls have been made between Khaddam… and many personalities inside and outside [of Syria], to agree on forming a government in exile.
“Even though many sources that are close to Khaddam and Al Bayanouni have denied the fact that contacts have been made with the US, France or Western countries that are concerned with the Syrian-Lebanese dossier, sources in the opposition have pointed out the necessity of ‘using the international atmosphere’ that wishes to change the regime, to push the Syrian forces forward. This indirectly means that they are willing to accept American and European help… In the meantime, Paris wished that Khaddam would stop making statements on French territories…
“On the other hand, Khaddam is telling his visitors, that his testimony before the International Investigation Commission has dotted the i’s, and that the Syrian regime is still undergoing a serious and tormented situation despite its attempts to show otherwise. He also indicated that neither the US nor France have changed their opinions about it, assured that many Syrian political and military figures will soon express their opposition to the regime and [he] stressed that is was necessary to dismiss the idea of overthrowing the regime through a military coup…” - Newspaper - Middle East, Middle East
posted by Joshua Landis @ 3/21/2006 02:36:00 PM
5 comments
links to this post
5 Comments:
"........assured that many Syrian political and military figures will soon express their opposition to the regime and [he] stressed that is was necessary to dismiss the idea of overthrowing the regime through a military coup…....” -
This kind of wishful thinking has been showered at Syria and the oppositions for 3 decades by ANN and Riffat Assad. In a way and I have no actual facts, but just on purely analytic discoveries, Khaddam is dividing the oppositions and shattering what was an on going slowly progressive efforts. The end result to his campaign will be a net damage to the oppositions inside and outside Syria.
The shameful part about this whole operatic and theatrical performance is that nothing will materialize from all his hoopla except utter devastation and disunity of Syrian oppositions.
Riffat Assad, had Billions of Dollars, Satellite network, fairly good and connected network of supporters and he could not dare put a foot in Syria to visit his Mother funeral, except in secret. Tlass got house arrest for letting him discreetly in the country.
This none sense aught to stop. The United States and any other country should understand that these performers are actually hurting any chance that either reform in Syria will progress or that oppositions can reasonably operate and get ahead in Syria.
The only available real and genuine option to progress in reforming Syria, is to get to the President in person, open a dialog with the government, SSPRS calls for President Assad to open up and listen, just as we are listening to him when he talks.
This newbie to opposition standing, a dreamer of popular revolt and Orange style revolution ala Ukraine / Lebanon is lacking any background of opposition tactics or strategy and all he see is a mirage that all beginners in the “oppositions 101” starts at.
President Assad is the only option to deal with. Lets deal with him, lets campaign and get foreign support for meeting and for dialog if he do not want to offer that on his own. We need to show him and his minority Alawites that he does not need to fear us, that we are sincerely interested in reforming our country and not destroying it. That he does not need this obsolete Baathist ideology of Arabism and this backward and corrupt Baathist system to survive, and in fact it is his clenching to this Party and the unreformed or the slow reform plan will be in fact what Khaddam is counting on for a revolt and a Civil war eventually.
The sincere foreign help should be directed toward this effort only, because at this point it is the only viable option.
USA’s pressure is the best way to make a non popular regime popular in most countries.
The situation in Finland in the beginning of WW2 had some similarities to modern events. The nation was still rather divided after the bloody civil war in 1918 between the red (socialist) and white. After the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact Soviet Union began to “press” Finland but with no wanted results, its pressure united the nation. Stalin had calculated that the socialist half of the nation would support a regime change and would rebel against the official government. Just before Winter War in 1939 Soviet Union created a Finnish puppet government (Terijoki government). Only a handful of hard-line communists answered to Moscow’s call and deserted the army. The huge majority of Finnish communist and social democrats went with others on the frontiers to fight against the invading super power. Stalin never could occupy Finland. The original military plans “suggested” that Helsinki could be reached in days and people would throw roses on the advancing troops. The war was a military disaster for Soviet Union.
Stalin made a huge miscalculation in believing that national pride and loyalty are less important than political differences inside a country. USA makes the same mistake in believing that that people in Syria and Iran would swallow their propaganda and act as USA wants. Bush’s democracy message is as creditable as Stalin’s “workers liberation” message was in the end of 1930’s.
خدام ردا على ملاحقته : لا أملك في سورية إلا ما ورثته عن أبي
So you took what I inherited from my father in the name of Socialism and Land reform and gave it for free to the peasants to gain their support, but you kept what you inherited from your father and added Hundreds of Millions into your one united and eternally filled bank account. This is how I know that you are a fake socialist ass, just like all the other lower classes of Sunni Syrian families that backed the Baath party take over like the Homs shop keepers family the Atassis and the industrialist opportunists, the Riffai and Droubi and the rag to riches Shihabi's and Lebanon Hariri.
Of course you get well along with that Druze chieftain, one of Lebanon largest landlord, yet he keeps hording more and like his father preaching Socialism to Lebanon masses. What a fakes. Guess what, this is not the 60's anymore, people are now educated and have something called media, internet. They know what a fake you are.
Syrians Opposition groups have no problem with helping American bringing Democracy and freedom to the Greater Middle East. We have problem of bringing death, destruction and economic annihilation to it, the way the strategists (JEWS) who control America had it planned. No one is buying any of the crap in George Bush speeches. Facts, recent and past speak for themselves. Just look at the record. See the Scientists and PhD’s assassinations squad in Iraq. Immoral Landis keeps on deleting the comment and list of names. The U.N. is spending Hundreds of Millions into the Hariri assassination case of one man. Who is investigating, or even raising a voice about these scientist assassinations other than President Assad. Why no one is investigating these war crimes. Why the Jewish controlled Pentagon and CIA are not trying to find the perpetrators!!! Too close to comfort HUUH. Syrians like America and Americans, they want an American way of life, what they despise is how American sold their country and lost control of most of it’s Domestic and Foreign policy and goals.
"Did the Anti-US demonstration Really turn Anti-Syrian?"
I am really stunned by how easily and irresponsibly you can equate the regime with the whole country. This the worst kind of rhetoric employed by supporters of the regime. Unfortunately, it seems that our allegations of bias against your blog are true. You’re just another Patrick Seale wannabe.
Tareq, Yes, I made a mistake writing Syria instead of regime. It is changed. Thanks, J
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home