Many Reasons the US Should Engage Syria
Many Reasons the US Should Engage Syria
by Joshua Landis
"Syria Comment," August 9, 2006
The debate over whether to find a diplomatic solution to the Lebanon conflict or to press for a total military victory is becoming ever more heated. More and more analysts are pressing President Bush to talk to Damascus. I will sum up the arguments for and against.
Arguments why Syria is key to any solution:
Syria is the key to controlling Hizbullah. Hizbullah's arms are all delivered through Syria, regardless of their point of origin. This gives Damascus an iron grip of Hizbullah’s weapon supplies; only when Damascus signs onto an agreement can Hizb be brought under control. Damascus has been the main patron of Hizbullah in the past, using it to hurt Israel in order to get it to cough up occupied Golan.
Diplomacy has worked in the past; it can work in the future: Syria's diplomacy has been marked by pragmatism not radicalism. Hafiz al-Asad kept his promises. He promised to hurt Israel so long as it did not give back the Golan; he did. During the 1990s he tried to reach a peace agreement with Israel, brokered by the US. Both Clinton and Israel’s head of military intelligence claimed Israel deserved more blame than Syria for the failure to reach an agreement. Bashar al-Asad has repeatedly asked for the same deal Barak got “cold feet” on.
The Asads' pragmatism is manifest in their accurate assessment of Syria’s limited power. Both father and son accurately assessed that Syria could not and can not attack Israel alone or directly, and must use proxies. Hafiz had a canny grasp of his constraints that Saddam Hussein did not. He exploited Syria's capabilities to punch above his weight. When American and Syrian interests coincided, Asad proved a capable partner. The Asads have kept Syria's border with Israel quieter than any other Arab border since 1973. When the US asked Hafiz to save Lebanon's Christians from subjugation by Lebanon's Muslim-PLO forces in 1976, he did. Syria brought Lebanon's civil war to an end, which no other country could do. Syria fought along side the US the 1991 Gulf War.
Syria did not try to ruin Lebanon or annex it. On the contrary, Syria’s security umbrella allowed Lebanon to stabilize and launch a stunning economic recovery. Asad did not try to colonize Lebanon or annex its land or water, as Israel did to the Palestinians. When asked by Lebanon's Communist Leader George Hrawi to unite the two countries, Hafiz al-Asad said, “No, Lebanon is its own entity," proving that Syria's presence in Lebanon was not governed by “Greater Syria” ideology. Nothing confirms this more than the swiftness and ease of Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon in April 2005, which was carried out in a matter of weeks. There were no important disruptions to either country's economic growth or underlying political structures. No Syrian spoke out against the withdrawal of Syria’s military from Lebanon. Almost all Syrians lamented that their government had not left Lebanon years earlier, under happier conditions. There is no grass roots constituency for annexing Lebanon. Yes Syria wants to retain Lebanon in its sphere of influence. This is hardly surprising, given its economic and strategic importance.
Bashar is turning out to be as shrewd as his father was. He has not miscalculated or misunderstood the realities of a “new era,” as so many have argued. He said the invasion of Iraq was a mistake and wrong; It was. In 2003, after opposing the invasion, he tried to patch up relations with the US, offering to continue giving the US intelligence on al-Qaida and to deliver senior Iraqi Baathists who had taken refuge in Syria and who were aiding the insurgency in Iraq, but at the price. Syria demanded that the US do nothing to end its influence in Lebanon. This was the same bargain that Asad the father had offered Bush the father so successfully in 1990. Bush the son refused it. Asad still thought he could reason with W. Bush and delivered a handful of top Iraqi Baathists to Washington, stopped the free flow of Jihadists from crossing into Iraq, and halved the number of Syrian troops in Lebanon, but US anti-Syrian invective did not diminish. Bush was determined to take Lebanon away from Syria with or without its cooperation on Iraq. Bashar did not miscalculate; Bush did.
The only real price Syria has paid for not cooperating with the US on Iraq is that Washington imposed ineffective economic sanctions on Syria and isolated it from visits from Western heads of state. This is a serious annoyance, but not a threat. Syria’s economy is growing faster than it has in a decade, its foreign debt is lower than ever, and it’s good relations with the West have been traded for good relations with the East. Losing Lebanon was not the price of opposing the US in Iraq. Washington never offered Lebanon for Iraq.
Bashar did not miscalculate. Opposing Washington’s demands on Iraq and Lebanon was good politics. He has consolidated his power over his state and is more popular than ever. On the contrary, Bush and Chirac miscalculated; they said Bashar was weak and would fall within a year of his pullout from Lebanon. Bush’s Middle East policy is in ruins; Bashar’s looks prescient by contrast. Rather than trying to dictate policy to Asad, which has proven a failure, Bush should listen to Bashar.
Borders are the key: This is the time to set the stage for giving back the Golan and concluding a region wide solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including the oft-talked about Palestinian state. The conflict is about borders more than ideology or religion.
Dry up the swamp: Radical groups such as Hizbullah and Hamas will be kept in check and may eventually melt away if regional governments are brought into a solution that they can sign onto. With the majority of Arabs on the side of peace, the minority will be deprived of the sea of resentment and recruits that nourish it. Economic development and stability will see to the rest.
We are losing: There is no military solution to the present conflict. We are losing the battle. If we press ahead with the destruction of Lebanon, we will only weaken the Lebanese central government and produce another failed state, giving greater freedom for radical groups to defy central authority and build on chaos. It is better to cut our losses and make peace, while Israel is at the top of its game and much more powerful than the Arabs. Israel should have made peace in 2000, when it was truly at the top of its game, but now is better than later. Hizbullah's fierce resistance proves that time is running against Israel - better for Israel and the West to lock in now while Syria is weak and Israel remains a regional super power.
The clearest, recent argument for engaging Syria is put forward by Alon Ben-Meir in his article:
Outside View: The case for engaging Syria
By Alon Ben-Meir Aug 8, 2006, UPI
He writes:
By refusing to engage Syria, the Bush administration will forfeit another historic opportunity to bring an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, however remote that prospect may now seem.Arguments against engaging Syria:
But while Syria can be penalized for its underhanded activities, it cannot be left out of any arrangement involving Israel and Lebanon. Excluding Syria may seem appropriate punishment for its actions; yet the consequences will be far more negative for the United States and Israel.
It is hardly a secret that Syria has a special interest in Lebanon. Washington must accept the reality that, with or without Syrian troops in Lebanon and with or without Hezbollah`s active militia, this interest will not end. To suggest that any lasting resolution between Israel and Lebanon can be achieved without the full support of Damascus is more than utter naiveté: it is a truly dangerous illusion.
Syria is evil and irrational. It cannot be negotiated with. The US tried to convince Bashar al-Asad to change his policies from 2000 to 2005 through diplomacy; this failed. The only real solution is for regime change. The second best solution is to weakening Syria such that it is deprived of its influence in Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq. Bashar cannot be trusted.
This is a fight between Islamic fanaticism and Western civilization: It is not about borders. Withdrawing from Southern Lebanon and Gaza were mistakes which emboldened radical Islam and signaled Western weakness.
We are winning: We destroyed Saddam, turned Libya, weakened Syria, isolated Arafat, and have "moderate Arab regimes" on our side: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the Hariri-led government of Lebanon. We are now destroying Hizbullah. This is no time to go wobbly. Press on to victory. This is an all or nothing battle. If we show any signs of weakness, radical Islam will win. Our allies are counting on us.
This argument is made by Dan Schueftan, a senior fellow at the capital's Shalem Center and a lecturer at the University of Haifa. He claims:
"Unless Arab radicalism is defeated historically and permanently, he says, Israel can't survive in this hostile region." Therefore, he stresses, Israel should not negotiate with Syria. "It is not the price of a particular agreement" that is the problem, he says, "but rather the value of such negotiations in the context of the broad currents in the Arab world.[end]
"In a world in which Saddam is destroyed, Gaddafi is domesticated, Assad is frightened and permanently on the defensive, Arafat was quarantined and the new Palestinian government is in very deep trouble," a settlement would send the wrong message to the Arab world. "If you can be a radical and win," Schueftan says, there will be increased radicalism among the Arabs, "putting Israel in a more difficult situation."
In this context, "any settlement with Syria would only strengthen one of the most radical regimes in the Arab world".
Here are some recent articles covering this debate:
Never Say Never Again to Damascus
Sami Moubayed
04 Aug 2006, World Politics Watch Exclusive
crazy like a fox: Jerusalem Post
Syria is key: Jerusalem Post
Engage Syria or engage Iran?
New Anatolian
Syria's crucial role: Why Damascus meddles - and matters
International Herald Tribune, Aug. 8, by Stanley A. Weiss
A CRACK IN THE DOOR Can Damascus Help Stop the Violence?
Spiegel Online
Talking and Shunning in the Mideast (8 Letters)
New York Times
It was Syria that had kept Hizbollah in check
Indian Express
Americans press Bush: Talk to Syria
Ynetnews
Analysis: Iran and Syria exploiting weak Israeli leadership to ...
Israel Insider
Jerusalem Post
How the U.S. fired Jack Straw
By William Rees-Mogg, The Times, August 7, 2006
posted by Joshua Landis @ 8/09/2006 02:53:00 PM
49 comments
links to this post
49 Comments:
The US must engage Syria so as to reward Syria for creating a war in Lebanon? The only thing that should engage Syria these days are F-16s. Your post is very poorly argued Joshuah. I advise you to read what Anton has to say on the same topic.
http://beirut2bayside.blogspot.com/2006/08/bashar-arafat.html
Why should Syria control Hezbollah for Israel's benefit? It should supply them with more weapons and ignore the US.
The longer the war lasts and the resistence continue the fight the more Israel,s economy suffer ,lack of ceasfire might end up to the benifit of peace if the US can use Israel shortcomings to convince Israel and it,s people that their only hope is for a comprehensive peace built on 1967 borders with comprehisive peace treaty between Israel and all it,s Arab neibors then with other moslem countries.with only 4000 Hizballa fighters causing so much damage to Israel i think Israel time is running out and their chance is for peace before the Arab recognize that a long term war will destroy Israel starting with it,s economy.
protecting Nasrallah,is the most important and difficult matter,Isreal and USA will try to kill him, not directly, but by using arab traitor,who will assasinate him, he is now,the most popular person in the arab world, rose to the title the islamic top leader, rose by popularity, not by being brutal dictator,or thru coup.
Landis,
You truly scare me. When educated intellectuals become nothing more than the mouth pieces of dictatorial regime then the world is in trouble.
Your analysis of Syria as an honorable state that has never taken advantage or destroyed Lebanon is ludicrous. You are crediting Syria for the economic boom in Lebanon while they raped the country for over a billion dollar a year in graft and theft??
Shame on you for even trying to pose as an academic.
EvilConCarne,
You shouldn't feel scared from Landis! You see in this particular post, unlike other posts, Landis tried to present the two sides of the coin. So there might still be some hope of salvation. Did he succeed this time to present himself as an objective academic? Let’s see.
Landis considers the inherent extortion and blackmail policies of the Assads as the greatest honor! Once you understand that the Assad regime began its life using terror and destruction no where else but on the home front, then all the Syrian plots of terror outside Syrian borders will fade in your sight in comparison. No other regime in history, prior to the Assads, used systematic ruthless terror against its citizens to rise to power except the Nazis of Germany. The Nazis, in fact, may have quite few lessons to learn from their newly found cousins if they hope to stage a come back. Destroyed Syrian cities are living testimony to the ruthlessness of this pathetic breed of scum. Once, they mastered their ‘art’ at home they moved on to Lebanon. During the mid 80s, and when the dead Assad was in charge, Zahle in Bekaa Lebanon became a well documented case of the extortionist strategies of these 'honorable' fascists. On several occasions, the city would be subjected to weeks of intense bombardment until the booty, cash and in hard currency, in billions of dollars had to be brought on airplanes from the Gulf States to Damascus. Similar bombing campaigns were carried out on several occasions against the Achrafiye district of Beirut and other regions. The objective was always the same - billions of dollars had to be brought cash and in hard currency before the bombardment(s) stop(s). The novice Assad has not yet mastered the trade of his dad. He relies heavily on political assassinations as well as on the services of proxy terror groups. Most often his tactics backfire because he does not possess the savvy and shrewdness of the deceased. This is the role which Landis is espousing for Syria to play in the ME; and this is the ‘great achievement’ of the Assads in bringing to a ‘halt’ the so-called Lebanese civil war!
This is exactly what constitutes the behavior of an honorable state to the most expert historian in the realm of Oklahoma!
Do you think Landis would consider these historical facts as of interest to an academic historian?
I would say that the problem of Landis is that he is in the wrong field. He shouldn’t have specialized in history. Political Science would have been a better choice? Having failed that, he has proven to be a horrible political scientist. At the same time he betrayed the intellectual integrity of the field of his ‘expertise’! Looking at it from this perspective Landis and Bashar have a trait in common! Bashar lacks the clinic and Landis forgot all about history!
EvilConCarne could you explain in a concrete way in which ways Syria stole one billon yearly form Lebanon. If you can’t do that you should at least stop criticizing other people’s views. A claim with out any evidence is pure propaganda. By the way Evil, how much did Israel steal from Lebanon during its occupation of Lebanon? During the former occupations, not this present “helping Lebanon’s government”.
SimoHurtta,
EvilCoCarne may have other facts to defend his case. In the meantime, you may quench your thirst by investigating the few cases I presented. How about the cocaine and drug trade as an add on?
The SPIEGEL correspondent in Damascus has an article with some very interesting quotes from Syrian officials.
Here is an automatic translation which is quite funny but also more or less readable. I hope that the SPIEGEL puts up a professional translation later.
Hi Josh,
I agree with you- just ignore Anton von Badran, 'Vox Populi' and other Lebanese fascist dwarfs!
The 6th "Israeli-Arab" war looks increasingly like a case of Persian chess vs. Neocon roulette.
Someone said «[Prime Minister] Siniora [of Lebanon] seems flush with a sort of confused moral power that is the special trait of a leader whose country has been leveled ».
Yeah…
Maybe…
But who leveled his country in the first place?
Several clues lead me to believe that the “pro-Western” puppet-government of Fuad Siniora (pro-Saudi Taliban in ties and suits would be a more fitting appellation…) wished (or shall I say plotted for?) the Neocon to flex their mighty muscles and help them “flush out the (allegedly pro-Iranian) Shiite scum” out of South Lebanon once and for all.
Problem is that you don’t kill an idea with clusters bombs: read Gary Brecher’s luminous article in the Exile to understand what tough cloth Hezbollah and their numerous followers are made of.
Destitute Shiite Muslims make up more than 40% of the Lebanese population: that would be like say “flushing out” the Irish working class from Massachusetts and New York circa 1890!
As I said earlier, the Siniora government and its Saudi protectors sincerely thought Cheney, Bolton & Co. would be happy to satisfy their monarchic good pleasure and get rid of those pesky Hezbollah lumpen-prolétaires for them.
Siniora (and president Chirac and King Saud with him) probably thought this could be done in a week time, with “surgical strikes” targeting exclusively Shiite villages in the south of the country: THAT was a tragic mistake.
In real life (i.e. outside of Arabia’s air-conditioned palaces), no one will do a dirty and expensive job on your behalf for free…!
"Be careful what you wish for, lest it come true” comes to mind...Ironically, this is an ancient Indo-Iranian proverb that the West imported from Persia long time ago- together with polo, chess, Satan and other ancient Asian niceties.
Just like the Faustian characters of old, Prime Minister Siniora is starting to freak out, for the Neocon devils have their own agenda and never intended to do bona fide donkey work for Beirut’s corrupt government in the first place!
Ethnic cleansing work in progress…
To be continued in the coming days….
Guys:
Yes the Syrian regime is bad, but the US and Israel are not any better. I don't recall Syria destroying Lebanon as Israel and the US are doing right now.
EvilConCarne said:
You truly scare me. When educated intellectuals become nothing more than the mouth pieces of dictatorial regime then the world is in trouble.
And the world IS in trouble.
But the free world has mouth pieces as well. We're the lucky ones.
Ugarit said -
I don't recall Syria destroying Lebanon as Israel and the US are doing right now.
And I don't recall Israeli funded "militias" firing thousands of missiles into Iranian and Syrian population centers.
"And I don't recall Israeli funded "militias" firing thousands of missiles into Iranian and Syrian population centers."
There is on big militia called the IDF which has already dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Lebanon and killed nearly 1000 civilians. Let's not also forget that Israel killed about 18,000 civilians in the last major invasion of Lebanon (1982). Syrian violence is tactical while Israeli violence is strategic and is a fundamental principal of Zionist asspirations.
Yawn. Do you know any other songs Josh?
People amaze you sometimes with thier analysis and thoughts, or wishfull thinking!!!
Should the US or Israel -or whoever the hell it is- ask if Syria should be engaged or not is a lot more than a mere stupid question.
The answer is: balance of power and field realities, and the strength of Will. And Syria, by my humble analysis, has made it public that all those THREE ITEMS are availlable on its shelf store.
The US. Administration is stupid by its own inner circle admissions, but but not totally dump! It knows what Syria is and what Syria can DO, apart from my own estimate of what Syria IS DOING NOW. The resposible persons in the JSC -or in the real Pentagon- where Israel authrity is just about NILL know this. The deficient Israeli two-tyre air defence system operators know this. The reciepiants and counters of Hizbullah's rockets falling on Israel know it. And the fact that Misron and the Northern Command in Safad and other hard MILITARY installations which has recieved HA greeyings, know why those missiles fell and keep falling there. That is why they shut the F..up this time and appear indiffeent to the Syrian threat, which used to be the Syrian Bravado before. Or is it also the presence of the "Iskander" and other things????
When eality strikes. It is time for "bodu counters" to voice thier opinion. That is why we see a stopping of the bullshit about the "magical powers" of the Israeli Lobbbby for while!!! That Lobby's best performance is when it is called upon to provide Israel with "needed time", not when Israel is "running out of time".
Would the US, Israel, and the 14th of whatever camp, and the "authorised source" or anyone oneelse for that matter, attempt, or even think about engaging Syria?
Damn right they would. That is ONCE Syria is strong enough to be engaged. Not when it is ACCOMODATING enought to be engaged.!
Now Syria is in that position.
Like it or not. The weapons are in place, the army is "really ready and willing" as we here, Israel is biting the dust t the capable hands of Hizbullah, and more stuff would be be comning to everyone from thje Syrian angle should they "really" ask for it.
This is not Bravado, this is the rules of nesessity, and the effects Hafez Al Assad "strategic detterence" quest and of Nassralah's steadfastedness.
Life has its funny twists.Buthaina Shaaban threatens the Isreali Army not to bring its guns within 20 kms of Damascus, or else!!!. Israel, keeps quite! Al Mualim tells anyone watching TV screens that Syria will HIT if it is attacked, but the Israeli JSC "choses" to remain silent all of a sudden. Syria "shoots down" an Israei drone over Massna'a and "both" sides keep it under the carpet. Syria help Hezbullah, as is claimed, in ndirecting most of the acts of the WHOLE show, and Tel Aviv and DC keep silent.
Wow..... things do change..
Once someone know what they want, and decide to go for it.
More to come? Yes.!
I belive in "when it rains, it pores"!. And now it is poring on Israel's IDF, IAF, JSC, Adam, Golani Brigade, Mofaz and most of all "Jhonny-Come-Lately", Olmart, the oily-haired cute foriegn affairs ministeress, and Peretz. And the "elite" troops as well.
But do not despair, the US administration and Israel do learn sometimes; even if only after paying the price. Times over.
So, will Syria be engaged, attacked, or "forced" to attack? A question of ego it seems, not cold calculations. For the US or the Israeli axis at least. And never forget the other "brotherly" and "interested parties" as well.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
TrueFacts do you have any true facts about that cocaine and drug trade? Stealing means taking something away from somebody as you probably know. Well then Syria had to take away drug trade from Lebanese hands, if we use the word stealing. Or Syria stole drugs from Lebanese gangsters.
TrueFacts did Syria sell drugs to Lebanese and so earn billions or did Syria take over Lebanese drug selling operations to foreign countries.
I suppose this your drug story belongs to the famous category “chemical weapon laboratories on wheels”.
Ugarit said:
There is on big militia called the IDF which has already dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Lebanon and killed nearly 1000 civilians. Let's not also forget that Israel killed about 18,000 civilians in the last major invasion of Lebanon (1982). Syrian violence is tactical while Israeli violence is strategic and is a fundamental principal of Zionist asspirations.
Dear Ugarit,
I'm sorry that Israel has killed more Lebanese than "Lebanese" have killed Israelis.
I know that seems unfair, and I'm sure Hezbollah, Iran and Syria is doing their utmost to remedy that situation.
"Syrian violence"? What Syrian violence? I thought Syria was just an innocent by-stander while the aggressive Zionists continue their evil plans.
Unfortunately, Israel may have killed 1000 civilians. And, unfortunately, the Iranian and Syrian financed Hezbollah fight among them.
Assuming 18,000 civilians were killed by Israel during the Lebanese Civil War, how many civilian does that leave that were killed by others (muslims, christians, Syrians, Shiites, Sunnis, Druze)?
I found this at Wikipedia. Do the math:
Lebanon still bears deep scars from the civil war. In all, it is estimated that more than 100,000 people were killed, and another 100,000 handicapped by injuries...
Countries supplying terrorists with weapons, money, and training are just as guilty as those that hire their own hit-men.
It appears that Isreal may accept to withdraw from Lebanon gradually,if Lebanese army moves to the evacuated areas,all the other conditions may be meaningless,France says a resolution is imminent, and Isreali are delaying their wider plan, if Isreal accepts ceasefire, this is an indication that Isreal has suffered huge casualties,and economic and political pressures.
I understand that Bashar Al Asad,has to appear in middle of september in a court in Cyprus,to answer questions, if not he risks sanction on Syria.
Fascist? Speak for yourself Vicky boy. I am not the one who keep praising the Baath, Saddam Hussein and fascists thinkers like Aflak or Husri.
Simohurrta asks: did Syria sell drugs to Lebanese and so earn billions or did Syria take over Lebanese drug selling operations to foreign countries?
Why not try typing “Syrian army” + drugs into an Internet search machine. You’ll find plenty of reference material going back to the 1980s.
Here’s a recent one selected at random:
“Drug production, counterfeiting, and other illicit trades account for the Assad regime's oldest—and once the most lucrative—source of occupation revenue. Such criminal enterprises have flourished wherever Lebanese territory has come under the control of Syria or its proxies. Throughout the Lebanese underworld, whether Syrian officials are involved directly or merely offer protection to local criminal networks, Damascus gets its cut.” (from Syria after Lebanon: Hooked on Lebanon - ME Quarterly, Fall 2005)
AS AN ASIDE, I also came across a fascinating bit of memorabilia, where the question of Syria’s behaviour and motives and America’s relation with the Asad regime (and accusations of its drug and terrorist links) was being tossed around in the US Congress in 1991! (see http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1991_cr/s910220-syria.htm)
The article I mentioned earlier has now been translated:
Syria's Price for Peace
By Gabriela Keller, SPIEGEL Online
Some snippets:
"Syria won't do anything until we know what we're getting in return," says Ayman Abdel Nour, one of the reformists in the ruling Baath party. The regime, Nour believes, sees an opportunity to get much more for its cooperation than merely better relations with the West. "Syria," he says, "wants the Golan Heights back. The prospect of getting them back has to be tangible. Promises alone aren't enough."
Nour, though, also sees this as a chance for the West. Were the Golan Heights on the table, Syria could perhaps even be prepared to turn its back on Iran. "Syria," Nour believes, "would be prepared to abandon this alliance."
...
Asking for the return of the Golan Heights -- which have been in Israeli possession since 1967 -- is a no-brainer for the Syrian leadership, says political scientist Samir al Taqi. "No one can rule in Damascus if the Golan Heights aren't at the top of the agenda," he says. Located just eight kilometers (4.9 miles) outside the Syrian capital, the Israeli military positions on the Golan Heights are within sight of the city. Parliamentarian Georges Jabbour agrees that any policy without the Golan Heights as a priority is unthinkable. "The President isn't at liberty when it comes to this issue," Jabbour says. "If he gave up on the Golan Heights, every Syrian would oppose him. I myself would oppose him."
Syria is also not in the mood to accept any mediators -- neither from Arab nor from European states -- the foreign ministry expert said. "If the Americans want something from us," he said, "let them come and ask us directly." Until the United States demonstrates their willingness to compromise, Syria will continue to build its "front of obstruction," he said. In other words, Syria will work to unite the enemies of the United States and Israel, sabotage US policy in the region and strengthen local resistance -- be it in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories or Iraq. But if the Americans are genuinely accommodating, Syria will react positively. "In the end," he said, "Syria wants to be in contact with the West again."
...
Even now the rage on the streets can hardly be controlled, the Muslim preacher Muhammad al-Habash has observed. "The people believe it's their religious duty to resist the occupiers," he says and begins telling stories about families he's acquainted with whose sons have recently left home and vowed to wage jihad. They've probably left for Lebanon, since Syria doesn't offer a vent for their frustration yet. Al-Habash is a preacher known for his cosmopolitanism and tolerance. "But every time the people here become victims of Israel, the voice of the moderates becomes quieter. We're losing credibility," he complains. "If the war continues to escalate, nothing will stop our people."
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
What ActiveListener has amused my for a longer time is the ”western” view that whatever is done in Muslim countries the leader of the nation is seen responsible, but what ever USA / Israel crimes do in Middle East it is under investigation and in best case a deed of a few bad apples. If Saddam’s soldier killed and raped people Saddam was seen guilty (even he had no clue of the deeds), but when US soldiers killed, raped and tortured it is “bad apples” not Bush’s fault who send his soldiers there. Don’t you ActiveListener see a contradiction in this?
.
If you take seriously people like Dennis Eisenberg (guess from where he comes) and the Jewish - Christian propaganda machine (which is not the mainstream media) it is your problem. The Jewish - Christian propaganda machine uses the strategy that one of their many “news” sites makes phoney news (like the story a little time ago about Jews in Iran where demanded to wear the Star of David), then the others quote it and in their tiny minds it is the TRUTH. Like that Star of David in Iran story they are always shot down.
ActiveListener you get with Google many links with
“Finnish Army” + drugs 1,480 hits
“Chinese Army” + drugs 51,900 hits
“Syrian Army” + drugs 84,400 hits
“Russian Army” + drugs 137,000 hits
“Israeli Army” + drugs 589,000 hits
“US Army” + drugs 10,000,000 hits
Wow, US president and Israeli Prime Minister sell much, much more drugs than Assad. This “Google study” proves without doubt that they are the real big drug barons of the world. Assad is only a small street dealer. Funny isn’t it ActiveL.
Syria did not try to ruin Lebanon or annex it. On the contrary, Syria’s security umbrella allowed Lebanon to stabilize and launch a stunning economic recovery. Asad did not try to colonize Lebanon or annex its land or water
Mr Landis I don't how are you studying history or who your teachers are, but to distort history that much in such a short period when people are still living to remember the truth can never be realised even with the biggest propaganda machine that can ever exist.
Syria tried the best that it can do to destroy lebanon and to keep all its religious factions in animosity one against the other just to keep her hand over lebanon for over 3 decades. It sucked the economy of lebanon in all possible ways :
1- In taking part directly or indirectly in all major goverment or private businesses sectors ie: sea ports airport, casino du liban, mobile network, electricity, or pouring all those unqualified workers(800,000 jobless from syria)...
No major business deal could happen unless the syrians officers or secret services shared the pie(and I know this from first hand affairs).
2- Popey and cannabis fields were garded by syrian tanks no deal could happen unless they got there cut from simple soldier to the most top official. all the drug where then transported in military trucks to tripoly's port and aleppo's port and then shipped to europe.
3-The first time they tried to annex Lebanon was in the 20's and they were defeated then ina battle just on syrian borders and they still did not forget that defeat.
If they could annex lebanon from the beginning they would not have hesitated a second but as this could never happen they tried to maintain their hegemony by controlling the politicians either by greed or by death threats.
4-They stole all what they could put their hands on . Let it be in simple houses or in goverment offices or even banks, from toilet seats to the ministry of defence computers and chairs.
4- A regime that can wipe whole cities in his own country just to shut down opposition, can destroy a neighbor for less then that.
5-The syrians played the lion's role in lebanon and the rabbit's role in the golan (As Joumblat said it lately).
6- The future of the baathist regime in syria won't be better than the one's of saddam. Then and only then a peace could happen in the middle east. Because as long as this mafiosi regime is in place destruction and death will always surround him.
When you understand that you can start again learning history again.
My goodness, Simohurtta if I type in “Panda bears” + drugs or “Roman army” + drugs I get masses of references too.
So it proves that it CAN’T be true about the Syrian army. C’mon Simohurtta – do some reading/asking your Syrian and Lebanese friends and stop flinging shallow arguments around.
For example, I recall some interesting comments on the economic importance of the drug trade to the Syrian military
establishment in the London Financial Times a few years ago.
Better still, think back only a couple of years ago after Asad junior came to power when people had their hopes raised than smashed that he was going to make reforms, the discussion in Damascus/Beirut living rooms and international think tanks alike was that he had backed down for fear of a bullet from senior military figures out to protect their rich proceeds from the Lebanese drug trade.
Another complex variable to be added when modelling scenarios on the Harari killing, Kanaan’s “suicide”, Khaddam’s defection and retreat of the army from Lebanon?
And by the way, Simohurtta, if you are going to refer to the “Jewish-Christian propaganda machine”, please be more sophisticated. The sickening danger and damage wrought by the Israeli lobby and its undermining of western policy decisions is far too complex and monumental to be casually dumped on the scales against the source of particular criminal proceeds to the Asad mafia.
Dear Professor Landis,
I really get a lot of use out of your excellent blog! Thank you for it.
I have a question with respect to what you wrote about Bashar being as shrewd as Hafiz al-Asad. It's the first thing you've written in the several weeks I've read the blog that I've disagreed with and I wondered if I might press you on it in the hopes of determining whether or not I've misunderstood the situation.
It seems to me that Bashar's choice to withdraw from Southern Lebanon when pressed by the United States and France was an error in judgment that I can't imagine Hafiz al-Asad making (indeed, I imagined him rolling in his grave when Bashar did it). My instinct is to say that Hafiz al-Asad would have simply looked at US Army bogged down in Iraq and, much like Iran, gone on to do whatever he pleased. Unlike Iran, I would imagine him doing this quietly.
With the loss of Lebanon and with no chance of getting the Golan Heights back, doesn't this make Syria the big loser in the Arab-Israeli conflict (other than the Palestinians)? Much of the Arab world seems to be normalizing relations with Israel. Unless Bashar can use the Hizballah chip to force the Israelis to negotatiate, I can't imagine the Israeli government caring whether or not they ever sign a treaty with Syria.
Dear Professor landis:
I too must proclaim gratefullness to you for you have educated me and changed my perspectives on Syria though it has taken me a while before I saw your wisdom.
Thank you for your blog.
Even “Active Listener + drugs produces 16,900 hits, “Simo Hurtta” + drugs only 29. Hmmmm what do you do Active. You must be ….
ActiveListener show me creditable references to that the Syrian government and president were behind the drug selling. Those Syrian and Lebanese “friends”, who hate the present Syrian regime as much as you, are probably not the most creditable witnesses. Iraqi “friends” told before good stories Iraq occupation to Anglo-American intelligence services and politicians in return for cash and a villa in Florida. Iraq was full of moving WMD factories, mountains of ready nukes etc. Iranian and Syrian “friends” living in USA tell equal stories and become rewarded.
Some American soldiers sold in Vietnam drugs and weapons and most certainly do that same now in Afghanistan and Iraq. That is called private enterprising, nobody in his right mind said that Nixon or Bush sold drugs. But if some Syrian (Iraqi, Iranian etc) soldiers sold drugs or other things to black markets the only conclusion made is that president Asad was behind every deal. Come-on.
What makes me wonder about the critics targeted to Asad of that lack of reforms, is that you who repeat that slogan time after like parrots do obviously not understand that the rulers of a country under siege can’t do very much in terms of economical development. Actually I could ask you how much would have Asad done if USA and its close allies would not have put the whole country on their astonishing black list.
You Active L can’t make me believe that Asad is worse than his collage in Egypt. Or that the Iranian regime is worse with their religious views than their Saudi collages. The only difference is that others obey the big Guy and others not. How many Syrians, Iraqis or Iranians were in 911 planes? How many Saudis and Egyptians? Hmmmm
ActiveListener,
Stop teasing SimoHurtta with endless internet searches and show him exactly where he can buy the joint! That's all he wants! You think he cares about Zahle, Achrafiye and other syrian-bombed Lebanese cities?
Israeli Arrogance and Bush latest Trick
Breaking the cycle of violence
It is sad to see how some Lebanese hate Syria ,Syria which was the only country to come to their rescue in 1976,it saved the christians of Lebanon from ethnic cleansing Jumblat was planing for them with Arafat,14000 Syrians died in Lebanon and for what Lebanon has no oil otherwise the US and France would have been happy to save the christians but they did nothing ,now they claim their love for Lebanon and supplying Israel with all what it needs to bomb so they can come with financial aid to Lebanon and forcing the Lebanes gov to hire their companies for the work,and now after the bombing and the evacuation of the Syrians and the southeast asians the palestinians are the only logical choice for labour after they give them Lebanese residency ,that will solve for ISrael the right of return of the Palestinians in Lebanon.I look on how Saudi Arabia offered to have the Arab head os stae meeting in Macca so Lahood the Arab Lebanese president will not be able to attend as we all know christians are not allowed in Macca,so Saniora will represent Lebanon confirming the sunni moslem dominent of Lebanon and denying Syria of an Arab nationalist ally.I hope the Lebanes will wake up to what is set for them and stop the hate of Syria from blinding their vision.
To those who complain about the Lebanese disgust of the Syrian regime and its cohorts, you have only seen the tip of the iceberg!!!
People who've read me here before will know that I'm not a defender of the Syrian regime, but like almost every Syrian I'm a nationalist and I oppose the thouroughly anti-democratic and imperialist US corporatist/Zionist plans for the region. I oppose the blatant racism of Zionist 'deterrence' and of the Western fantasy narrative of fighting 'terrorism' or 'Islamic fascism' or whatever. (I also believe that there are real problems in current Islamic - Wahhabi and literalist - thought and behaviour, but that's a separate issue from their propaganda).
It isn't fair that Lebanon is always the one to pay for the conflict, and I support opening the Golan to resistance. Given that at this stage the Lebanese infrastructure has already been largely destroyed, however, Hizbullah should continue. The Arabs should not accept any UN resolutions which seek to give Israel victory. Hizbullah has changed the equation. The tide began to turn in 2000, and Israel has with this war lost for ever its deterrent power. Nasrallah is the most intelligent, best organised leader the Arab world has produced in its modern history. Let him and his men establish a balance of terror in the region. Decades have shown that Israel and its US sponsor are not interested in real peace negotiations which treat the Arabs as equal human beings. A balance of terror, therefore, is the only way to move towards real peace in the medium and long term. Until Israel and the empire it works for is humbled, it is our fate to face these wars every decade, and for the Palestinians to continue to face the most extreme oppression. Another good thing about this war is that it is the perfect antidote to the poison of sectarianism which threatens to destroy the Arab world. Every day it continues there is greater Sunni Shia unity. VICTORY TO THE RESISTANCE!
Neocons are unhappy:
The Pentagon is worried by Syria's 'rising self-confidence'
By Shmuel Rosner
WASHINGTON - The U.S. administration is troubled by what a senior Defense Department official termed "a rise in Syria's self-confidence."
The official, who spoke with Haaretz Thursday, expressed frustration over the fact that the United States, Israel and the international community have been unable until now to persuade Syrian President Bashar Assad to change his behavior. He attributed this failure to the fact that "thus far, no real pressure has been applied to Syria by any of the parties."
The official, who termed Syria's rising self-confidence "a problem for everyone," said that there had been chances to influence Syria, "but they were missed."
Haaretz
Dr. Landis,
Your posts are getting unfair, and even sad. An intelectual like you knows more than that.
I don't know if you are doing this because you want to go back to syria soon and everyone knows who you are, unlike us, no one knows who we are, so in this case I can understand you but don't you think it's too much. People are getting tired of this, at least be neutral!
Joshua,
It is no longer a matter of wether US shouls engage Syria or not, world opinion have shifted, the question is how much longer can the west's opinion be surpressed.
This is an article that clearly express the majority of world citizens. From boomantribune.com
God's chosen people
Jostein Gaarder, Aftenposten 05.08.06
There is no turning back. It is time to learn a new lesson: We do no longer recognize the state of Israel. We could not recognize the South African apartheid regime, nor did we recognize the Afghan Taliban regime. Then there were many who did not recognize Saddam Hussein's Iraq or the Serbs' ethnic cleansing. We must now get used to the idea: The state of Israel in its current form is history.
We do not believe in the notion of God's chosen people. We laugh at this people's fancies and weep over its misdeeds. To act as God's chosen people is not only stupid and arrogant, but a crime against humanity. We call it racism.
Limits to tolerance
There are limits to our patience, and there are limits to our tolerance. We do not believe in divine promises as justification for occupation and apartheid. We have left the Middle Ages behind. We laugh uneasily at those who still believe that the God of flora, fauna, and galaxies has selected one people in particular as his favorite and given it funny stone tablets, burning bushes, and a license to kill.
We call child murderers 'child murderers' and will never accept that such have a divine or historic mandate excusing their outrages. We say but this: Shame on all apartheid, shame on ethnic cleansing, shame on every terrorist strike against civilians, be it carried out by Hamas, Hizballah, or the state of Israel!
Unscrupulous art of war
We acknowledge and pay heed to Europe's deep responsibility for the plight of the Jews, for the disgraceful harassment, the pogroms, and the Holocaust. It was historically and morally necessary for Jews to get their own home. However, the state of Israel, with its unscrupulous art of war and its disgusting weapons, has massacred its own legitimacy. It has systematically flaunted International Law, international conventions, and countless UN resolutions, and it can no longer expect protection from same. It has carpet bombed the recognition of the world. But fear not! The time of trouble shall soon be over. The state of Israel has seen its Soweto.
We are now at the watershed. There is no turning back. The state of Israel has raped the recognition of the world and shall have no peace until it lays down its arms.
Without defense, without skin
May spirit and word sweep away the apartheid walls of Israel. The state of Israel does not exist. It is now without defense, without skin. May the world therefore have mercy on the civilian population. For it is not civilian individuals at whom our doomsaying is directed.
We wish the people of Israel well, nothing but well, but we reserve the right not to eat Jaffa oranges as long as they taste foul and are poisonous. It was endurable to live some years without the blue grapes of apartheid.
They celebrate their triumphs
We do not believe that Israel mourns forty killed Lebanese children more than it for over three thousand years has lamented forty years in the desert. We note that many Israelis celebrate such triumphs like they once cheered the scourges of the Lord as "fitting punishment" for the people of Egypt. (In that tale, the Lord, God of Israel, appears as an insatiable sadist.) We query whether most Israelis think that one Israeli life is worth more than forty Palestinian or Lebanese lives.
For we have seen pictures of little Israeli girls writing hateful greetings on the bombs to be dropped on the civilian population of Lebanon and Palestine. Little Israeli girls are not cute when they strut with glee at death and torment across the fronts.
The retribution of blood vengeance
We do not recognize the rhetoric of the state of Israel. We do not recognize the spiral of retribution of the blood vengeance with "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." We do not recognize the principle of one or a thousand Arab eyes for one Israeli eye. We do not recognize collective punishment or population-wide diets as political weapons. Two thousand years have passed since a Jewish rabbi criticized the ancient doctrine of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
He said: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." We do not recognize a state founded on antihumanistic principles and on the ruins of an archaic national and war religion. Or as Albert Schweitzer expressed it: "Humanitarianism consists in never sacrificing a human being to a purpose."
Compassion and forgiveness
We do not recognize the old Kingdom of David as a model for the 21st century map of the Middle East. The Jewish rabbi claimed two thousand years ago that the Kingdom of God is not a martial restoration of the Kingdom of David, but that the Kingdom of God is within us and among us. The Kingdom of God is compassion and forgiveness.
Two thousand years have passed since the Jewish rabbi disarmed and humanized the old rhetoric of war. Even in his time, the first Zionist terrorists were operating.
Israel does not listen
For two thousand years, we have rehearsed the syllabus of humanism, but Israel does not listen. It was not the Pharisee that helped the man who lay by the wayside, having fallen prey to robbers. It was a Samaritan; today we would say, a Palestinian. For we are human first of all -- then Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. Or as the Jewish rabbi said: "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?" We do not accept the abduction of soldiers. But nor do we accept the deportation of whole populations or the abduction of legally elected parliamentarians and government ministers.
We recognize the state of Israel of 1948, but not the one of 1967. It is the state of Israel that fails to recognize, respect, or defer to the internationally lawful Israeli state of 1948. Israel wants more; more water and more villages. To obtain this, there are those who want, with God's assistance, a final solution to the Palestinian problem. The Palestinians have so many other countries, certain Israeli politicians have argued; we have only one.
The USA or the world?
Or as the highest protector of the state of Israel puts it: "May God continue to bless America." A little child took note of that. She turned to her mother, saying: "Why does the President always end his speeches with 'God bless America'? Why not, 'God bless the world'?"
Then there was a Norwegian poet who let out this childlike sigh of the heart: "Why doth Humanity so slowly progress?" It was he that wrote so beautifully of the Jew and the Jewess. But he rejected the notion of God's chosen people. He personally liked to call himself a Muhammedan.
Calm and mercy
We do not recognize the state of Israel. Not today, not as of this writing, not in the hour of grief and wrath. If the entire Israeli nation should fall to its own devices and parts of the population have to flee the occupied areas into another diaspora, then we say: May the surroundings stay calm and show them mercy. It is forever a crime without mitigation to lay hand on refugees and stateless people.
Peace and free passage for the evacuating civilian population no longer protected by a state. Fire not at the fugitives! Take not aim at them! They are vulnerable now like snails without shells, vulnerable like slow caravans of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees, defenseless like women and children and the old in Qana, Gaza, Sabra, and Chatilla. Give the Israeli refugees shelter, give them milk and honey!
Let not one Israeli child be deprived of life. Far too many children and civilians have already been murdered.
Joshua,
It is no longer a matter of wether US must engage Syria or not, world opinion have shifted, the question is how much longer can the west's opinion be surpressed.
This is an article by a Norwegian author..
http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2006/8/5/122335/1324
God's chosen people
Jostein Gaarder, Aftenposten 05.08.06
There is no turning back. It is time to learn a new lesson: We do no longer recognize the state of Israel. We could not recognize the South African apartheid regime, nor did we recognize the Afghan Taliban regime. Then there were many who did not recognize Saddam Hussein's Iraq or the Serbs' ethnic cleansing. We must now get used to the idea: The state of Israel in its current form is history.
We do not believe in the notion of God's chosen people. We laugh at this people's fancies and weep over its misdeeds. To act as God's chosen people is not only stupid and arrogant, but a crime against humanity. We call it racism.
Limits to tolerance
There are limits to our patience, and there are limits to our tolerance. We do not believe in divine promises as justification for occupation and apartheid. We have left the Middle Ages behind. We laugh uneasily at those who still believe that the God of flora, fauna, and galaxies has selected one people in particular as his favorite and given it funny stone tablets, burning bushes, and a license to kill.
We call child murderers 'child murderers' and will never accept that such have a divine or historic mandate excusing their outrages. We say but this: Shame on all apartheid, shame on ethnic cleansing, shame on every terrorist strike against civilians, be it carried out by Hamas, Hizballah, or the state of Israel!
Unscrupulous art of war
We acknowledge and pay heed to Europe's deep responsibility for the plight of the Jews, for the disgraceful harassment, the pogroms, and the Holocaust. It was historically and morally necessary for Jews to get their own home. However, the state of Israel, with its unscrupulous art of war and its disgusting weapons, has massacred its own legitimacy. It has systematically flaunted International Law, international conventions, and countless UN resolutions, and it can no longer expect protection from same. It has carpet bombed the recognition of the world. But fear not! The time of trouble shall soon be over. The state of Israel has seen its Soweto.
We are now at the watershed. There is no turning back. The state of Israel has raped the recognition of the world and shall have no peace until it lays down its arms.
Without defense, without skin
May spirit and word sweep away the apartheid walls of Israel. The state of Israel does not exist. It is now without defense, without skin. May the world therefore have mercy on the civilian population. For it is not civilian individuals at whom our doomsaying is directed.
We wish the people of Israel well, nothing but well, but we reserve the right not to eat Jaffa oranges as long as they taste foul and are poisonous. It was endurable to live some years without the blue grapes of apartheid.
They celebrate their triumphs
We do not believe that Israel mourns forty killed Lebanese children more than it for over three thousand years has lamented forty years in the desert. We note that many Israelis celebrate such triumphs like they once cheered the scourges of the Lord as "fitting punishment" for the people of Egypt. (In that tale, the Lord, God of Israel, appears as an insatiable sadist.) We query whether most Israelis think that one Israeli life is worth more than forty Palestinian or Lebanese lives.
For we have seen pictures of little Israeli girls writing hateful greetings on the bombs to be dropped on the civilian population of Lebanon and Palestine. Little Israeli girls are not cute when they strut with glee at death and torment across the fronts.
The retribution of blood vengeance
We do not recognize the rhetoric of the state of Israel. We do not recognize the spiral of retribution of the blood vengeance with "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." We do not recognize the principle of one or a thousand Arab eyes for one Israeli eye. We do not recognize collective punishment or population-wide diets as political weapons. Two thousand years have passed since a Jewish rabbi criticized the ancient doctrine of "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
He said: "Do to others as you would have them do to you." We do not recognize a state founded on antihumanistic principles and on the ruins of an archaic national and war religion. Or as Albert Schweitzer expressed it: "Humanitarianism consists in never sacrificing a human being to a purpose."
Compassion and forgiveness
We do not recognize the old Kingdom of David as a model for the 21st century map of the Middle East. The Jewish rabbi claimed two thousand years ago that the Kingdom of God is not a martial restoration of the Kingdom of David, but that the Kingdom of God is within us and among us. The Kingdom of God is compassion and forgiveness.
Two thousand years have passed since the Jewish rabbi disarmed and humanized the old rhetoric of war. Even in his time, the first Zionist terrorists were operating.
Israel does not listen
For two thousand years, we have rehearsed the syllabus of humanism, but Israel does not listen. It was not the Pharisee that helped the man who lay by the wayside, having fallen prey to robbers. It was a Samaritan; today we would say, a Palestinian. For we are human first of all -- then Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. Or as the Jewish rabbi said: "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?" We do not accept the abduction of soldiers. But nor do we accept the deportation of whole populations or the abduction of legally elected parliamentarians and government ministers.
We recognize the state of Israel of 1948, but not the one of 1967. It is the state of Israel that fails to recognize, respect, or defer to the internationally lawful Israeli state of 1948. Israel wants more; more water and more villages. To obtain this, there are those who want, with God's assistance, a final solution to the Palestinian problem. The Palestinians have so many other countries, certain Israeli politicians have argued; we have only one.
The USA or the world?
Or as the highest protector of the state of Israel puts it: "May God continue to bless America." A little child took note of that. She turned to her mother, saying: "Why does the President always end his speeches with 'God bless America'? Why not, 'God bless the world'?"
Then there was a Norwegian poet who let out this childlike sigh of the heart: "Why doth Humanity so slowly progress?" It was he that wrote so beautifully of the Jew and the Jewess. But he rejected the notion of God's chosen people. He personally liked to call himself a Muhammedan.
Calm and mercy
We do not recognize the state of Israel. Not today, not as of this writing, not in the hour of grief and wrath. If the entire Israeli nation should fall to its own devices and parts of the population have to flee the occupied areas into another diaspora, then we say: May the surroundings stay calm and show them mercy. It is forever a crime without mitigation to lay hand on refugees and stateless people.
Peace and free passage for the evacuating civilian population no longer protected by a state. Fire not at the fugitives! Take not aim at them! They are vulnerable now like snails without shells, vulnerable like slow caravans of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees, defenseless like women and children and the old in Qana, Gaza, Sabra, and Chatilla. Give the Israeli refugees shelter, give them milk and honey!
Let not one Israeli child be deprived of life. Far too many children and civilians have already been murdered.
Dear Mr. Landis:
Apart from the question that should Syria be engaged in the political solution for this crisis or not, don't you think that it is unethical for any state to acquire political leverage over the blood and sacrifices of some other state or people?
UN agreement is completed between Lebanon and Israel for a ceasefire, Bashar and his regime miss calculated and lost again, the US will NOT engage Syria as was planed.
Dubai Jazz,
You have a good point. However, don't bother talking ethics to Mr. Landis or to his cheerleaders in this blog. You may want to talk to him about so-called imaginary spheres of influence among sovereign and independent states. He will be more than happy to engage in a lively, though intellectually deprived, debate with you about such wonderful 'political theories' apparently derived from the eternal physical laws of the universe. Landis is such a 'multi-talented' person that may have well 'succeeded' in bringing into 'unity' (or should we say chaos) the fundamental laws of nature with ‘humanities’ and ‘politics’. His only problem is that he is stuck in nowhere Oklahoma with very little appreciation.
Atassi,
Time for the Atassi’s to stage their come back!!! Talk is cheap!!! What are they waiting for? The burning of Damascus? It may well be the next logical outcome of all these miscalculations!!!
Hey guys stop jabbing at each other. Lebanon is there to stay!!!
Olmert and Abul Abed
Olmert was sitting in his office wondering how to invade Lebanon
when his telephone rang.
Hallo, Mr. Olmert!" a heavily accented voice said. "This is Abul
Abed,down at the tea house in Beirut! I am callin` to tell ya
dat we are officially declaring war on you, yes you!"
"Well" Olmert replied, "This is indeed important news! How big
is your army?"
"Right now," said Abul Abed, after a moment calculation "there
is myself, my cousin Mustafa, me next-door-neighbor Abou khaled,
and the whole team from the tea house. That makes eight!"
Olmert paused. "I must tell you Abul Abed, that I have one
million men in my army waiting to move on my command."
"Holy jeez," said Abul Abed. "I`ll have to call ya back!" Sure
enough, the next day, Abul Abed called again. "Mr. Olmert, the war is
still on!We have managed to acquire some infantry equipment!"
"And what equipment would that be Abul Abed?", Olmert
asked."Well sir, we have two Mercedes 180, and a truck."
Olmert sighed. "I must tell you Abul Abed, that I have 16,000
tanks and 14,000 armoured personnel carriers. Also I`ve increased my
army to one and a half million since we last spoke."
"Ya lateef", said A Abul Abed, "I`ll be getting back to ya."
Sure enough, Abul Abed rang again the next day. "Mr. Olmert ,
the war is still on! We have managed to get ourselves airborne! We
modified a helicopter with a couple of shotguns in the cockpit, and four
more neighbors have joined us as well!"
Olmert was silent for a minute then cleared his throat. "I must
tell you Abul Abed that I have 10,000 bombers and 20,000 fighter
planes. My military complex is surrounded by laser-guided, surface-to-air
missile sites. And since we last spoke, I`ve increased my army to TWO
MILLION!"
"Lah lah lah lah," said Abul Abed, "I`ll have to call you back."
Sure enough, Abul Abed called again the next day. "Mr. Olmert I
am sorry to have to tell you dat we have had to call off this war."
"I`m sorry to hear that" said Olmert. "Why the sudden change of
heart?"
"Well, sir," said Abul Abed, "we`ve all sat ourselves down and
had a long chat, and come to realize that's no way we can feed two
million prisoners."
LEBANESE CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE SHAKEN!
this is how Syria treats the Lebane Syria's warm welcome to Lebanese
By Jon Leyne
BBC News, Damascus
Lebanese have been streaming across the border into Syria
The Lebanese family is living in a tiny flat, in a poor quarter of Damascus. One of them has cancer. The rest have the usual problems of people in their situation - trauma, boredom and uncertainty.
The Syrians prefer to call them guests, but these are refugees by any other name.
Eight are squeezed into a two-room flat, alongside Munser Moalla's family of four.
"It's a crisis. We had to open our doors," he explained. "They are our families and our brothers, and they are most welcome. We have to do whatever we can."
It is a story repeated across Syria.
Nobody knows exactly how many Lebanese have fled here - estimates vary from 160,000 up to 300,000. But they seem to be everywhere. And they are continuing to stream in across the border.
'Rolls Royce' refugees
I visited one group - almost all Shia Muslims - staying at a half-finished Christian monastery, high up in the hills.
Outside Damascus, a few lucky ones were enjoying the luxury of the Norwegian ambassador's residence, complete with swimming pool.
The Syria population is so generous. They take them into their homes and give them anything they need
Annette Rehrl
UNHCR
We found another group staying in the summer huts of a Young Pioneers camp. Families of six or more, squeezed into huts designed for just two or three children to take their holidays.
There are a few "Rolls Royce" refugees, who have fled in their smart limousines and found suites in luxury hotels.
Many more are packed into schools, universities, mosques - almost any building with some free floor space.
And huge numbers are staying with ordinary Syrian families, both rich, and often poor.
One charity called Syrian Public Relations put out an appeal for hosts by sending a text message to all Syrian mobile phone users. They were flooded with offers from 10,000 families.
Reem Jomah, who works for the organisation, says the response has made her proud to be Syrian.
"The word proud is not enough," she said. "Syrians have closed their houses and their shops and gone directly to the border to offer help."
Reassured
This outpouring of support comes despite the troubled history between Syria and Lebanon.
Only last year Syria was accused of being behind the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri. Syrian troops left after pressure from the United Nations.
Support for Hezbollah in Syria is strong
Syria has played an often unhelpful part in Lebanon's Byzantine religious and political make-up. But now, everyone in Syria insists they are helping regardless of whether they are Christians, Shia or Sunni Muslims.
Reem Jomah says the refugees who arrive at the border do not know what to expect.
Their first response to the welcome is to borrow a mobile phone in order to reassure the rest of their families it is safe to come into Syria.
"The Syria population is so generous," agreed Annette Rehrl of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. "They take them into their homes and give them anything they need."
Nervous and traumatised
For many of these refugees this is not the first time they have had to leave their homes. There are bitter memories of previous Israeli attacks, and almost universal support for Hezbollah.
One family was reluctant to leave their home again, until an Israeli bomb destroyed the house next door.
And many families are nervous and traumatised after days or weeks of attacks.
A Norwegian doctor looking after them described how they would leap out of their skins when there was any sudden noise, such as a door slamming.
What began as a crisis, has now become a long-term problem.
The host families are providing everything, including foods and medicines. But many cannot afford it. And the public buildings, the schools and universities will soon be needed by Syrians themselves.
All this, of course, is in addition to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees, not to mention the Palestinians who have been here for decades.
Unless peace is restored soon, this refugee crisis could join the already long list of festering Middle Eastern grievances.
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
LATEST NEWS
UN vote backs Lebanon ceasefire
Blair urges 'immediate ceasefire'
UN steps up Lebanon deal push
UN rights body backs Israel probe
In pictures: Tensions grow
Day-by-day: Lebanon crisis
DESPATCHES
No-drive zone
Residents walk in fear as Israeli vehicle threat empties streets
Hints of Israel dissent
Struggle for UN deal
Caught in middle
Syria's welcome to Lebanese
ANALYSIS
Israel fights under Iraq shadow
Pro-Israel pressure strong in US
Conflict one month on
Q&A: Israeli offensive
France plays key role
BACKGROUND
Text: UN Lebanon resolution
Who stands where?
Lebanon's seven-point proposal
VOICES
Israeli answers your questions
Diary: Getting aid in
VIDEO AND AUDIO
Reports and analysis
HAVE YOUR SAY
What's the future for Lebanon?
PROFILES
Hezbollah Sheikh Nasrallah Ehud Olmert Mahmoud Abbas Ismail Haniya Fouad Siniora Mahmoud Zahhar Amir Peretz Shimon Peres Khaled Meshaal Hamas Islamic Jihad Gaza Strip Al-Aqsa Brigade Ariel Sharon
TOP MIDDLE EAST STORIES
UN vote backs Lebanon ceasefire
UN rights body backs Israel probe
Gaza border opens for three hours
| What is RSS?
MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW
MOST E-MAILED MOST READ Parents meddling in student life
Concern over decline in physics
Earthquake shakes Mexican capital
Assets of terror suspects frozen
Most popular now, in detail MOST E-MAILED MOST READ Bush's language angers US Muslims
UN vote backs Lebanon ceasefire
Guenther Grass was in Waffen-SS
Cabin baggage ban hits musicians
UK threat level remains critical
Most popular now, in detail
DON'T MISS Giving offence
US Muslims bristle as President Bush links Islam with fascism
Trapped by Katrina
The untold story of the New Orleans prisoners left to face the floods
FROM THIS WORLD >>
Uphill struggle
Diary of aid workers' efforts to get vital supplies into Lebanon
Desktopse,
1701 needs some changes,Isreal must agree to release Lebanese prisoners immidiately.
Yes Syria was ignored,and Syria did not achieve anything, the Hariri investigations will continue,now comes the blame that syria did not get involved,and only one step better than the traitor Husni Mubarak, poor Bashar,it is only few weeks and he will be out.
HA will stay and keeps its weapons, and thru tunnels and mountain dirt roads weapons will get to HA,Nassrallah is a victor.Isreal lost.
TrueFacts and DubaiJazz argue that it is unethical for a state (Syria) to acquire political leverage over the blood and sacrifices of some other state or people (Lebanon), but they seem to think that it is OK for the US, Israel, France and Saudi to do so over Lebanese Shiite blood.. but God forbid, not Syria. Remember though that it was Syria who was trying to have an immediate ceasefire since day one, while the US, France, Saudi thought that this is not in their interest... talk about acquiring "political leverage over the blood and sacrifices of some other state or people".
It's interesting how racist/sectarian oriented minds work in Lebanon. Those Lebanese (14 March politicians included) who are arguing against involving Syria and against settling the conflict on a regional scale by returning the Golan and having permanent peace in Lebanon as an outcome, would rather have more deaths and conflicts in this region in the future than having the Syrians gain from this (even if it coincides with Lebanon's interest as well). Those people would rather lose more and more and have Syria lose as well, rather than win together with Syria. This is pure blind self-destructive hatred. What a shame on those "Lebanese".
Syrian Nationalist Front
Members Combined Pool Media Comments
THIS IS AN AUTO RESPONDER-POSTER.
DO NOT REPLY TO OR DELETE THIS POST
-----------------------------
AUTO=ON
PASS=ON
VER=AUTO RD?RT
SEARCH=ON
SET TIME=60:00
POST PERIOD: 080806-083106
DAILY FREQUENCY: 0010
TITLE: Analysis in response to comment
REPORT NO: 4003 Combined Pool
[The comments posted here are combined pool release and may or may not be the opinion of the Syrian Nationalist Party, Syrian Republican Party, or any other member organization of the Syrian Nationalist Front. The opinion and comment expressed belongs exclusively to the author who may or may not be operating and posting anonymously. Reproduction and distribution are hereby granted-copy and distribute freely with or without credit].
SYRIAN NATIONALIST PARTY
COMMENT ABOUT POSTED JOKE ABOUT LEBANESE CONFIDENCE.
Looks like Abu Abed gave Olmert and his Neocons backers a knock in the face. He may have taken some losses, but he for sure buried deep in the ground the corpses of those Neocons. Not only that, the dream to roll back Syria and get to Iran oil have evaporated. In 3 months Abu Abed would have regrouped and restocked up with better weapons. If Abu Abed was able to thwart advancing Gypsies HABIRU several times, when was not even prepared for the conflict, imagine what he can do when is well prepared.
Looks like this is the end of the road for the Middle East GREATER OIL GRAB WAR billed as Democracy and Freedom for the Middle East. Where do the losers (Neocons) go from here? Americans should start demand to bring the troupes and those stupid AIPAC paid officials in Washington home. They need an independent, American, non Jewish controlled, Defense, Intelligence and most importantly a real Greater Middle East Initiative and foreign policy, one that is not run by the same team that have run American name and prestige to the ground, to a level never before any lower.
SYRIAN NATIONALISM ETERNALLY
SYRIAN REPUBLICAN PARTY-MEMBER
COMMNET ABOUT HIZBULLAH FORCE AND CONFIDENSE
“LEBANESE CONFIDENCE CANNOT BE SHAKEN!”
I am sure Hizbullah confidence cannot be shaken now. I know even myself have developed confidence now in the strength of this organization fighting ability, far better than Iran’s and Syria’s regular armies for sure, which both cowered in the face of this conflict and never fired a shot. They still lack many weapon systems that can level the damages and losses with Israel. In fact this organization should never be disarmed (not that anyone can force them too) they are basically the best fighting army units of the State of Lebanon and should be armed with the latest of defense technologies and incorporated into the real fighting division within the Lebanese army, for sure not what the Neocons, Druzes and that Saudi Bedouin traitor Hariri wanted to destroy their military capabilities and eliminate their political influence. Rather than conspiring with the West and the Bedouin against them, Bedouin Hariri should put up some of the Billions of cash his daddy stole under the table from Lebanon to fund the weapon systems for this strong division of the Lebanese army. It can effectively defend Lebanon from the marauding Gypsies. Don’t ever think that they will even want anything from Lebanon other than making it a weak and subservient canton.
For as long as the Gypsies running in Palestine, they never ever for thousands of years sought peace, and have always sought battle, they have not reformed in any way or shape and no rehab, not even Auschwitz, is good enough rehab for these Hebrew people.
Lebanese struggled with them every day they existed at its border, even their god struggled with them and scattered them all over, time after time. Most nations after such a traumatic punishment will change course and never repeat the fatal mistakes that brought a disaster on them before, countless cases in history that made many of today’s nations having a certain foreign and other policies that are largely based on that previous fatal mistake in history. Not the Jews, always they come back to the same genocides, mayhem and disturbances to the region of the Levant. Not once in history they ever signed any peace treaty, cooperation treaty, economic treaty or even having a normal non-war stare relation with the countries of Syria and Lebanon. They are misfit before and misfit now.
METAZ K M ALDENDESHE
SYRIAN REPUBLICAN PARTY
WWW.SSPRS.COM
CCC@SSPRS.COM
COMMNET ABOUT RESOLUTION 1701, PASSED BY THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION OF THE BEAST AND EXCREMENT OF CREATION AMEN/MARDUK UNITED NATIONS, REGARDING LEBANON.
Although I agree with SNP and eternally Imad about what was said in the comments. I have to add that this is not yet a cause for celebration. It maybe best for Lebanon and this round, considering that neither Syria, nor Iran came to Lebanon and the Shia fighting force aid militarily. But the element of a typically cheating resolution that is typical of the United Nation is there. Jews in Israel and their Neocon backers can still send Jews across the boarder to the Litani and with this resolution Lebanon and Hizbullah hand will be tied.
Hostilities may arise again, as usually the case after these agreements, and another surprise await Lebanon. The scam is clear. What Lebanon needs right now, is not to repeat the mistakes Arabs in past survival wars brought by the Jews and trust in this type of deceptive language of the resolution and feel comfortable with it’s terms that on the surface appears safe, but in fact, loaded with mines to Israel’s Jewish Hagganeh State advantage. The one and only benefit that can be derived from this resolution is precious time. The element of surprise were there in this latest Jewish attack, that is typical of 1967 transgression by the Jews, Lebanon and Hizbullah, obviously, were not ready for this attack, for sure did not anticipate it. So now is the time for Lebanon to use this lull to restock on better weapons and recruits few more thousands brave Shia men into the fighting units. Syria and Iran, needs to be fair to Lebanon and the Shia of Lebanon who took the heaviest toll in damages and lives. They need to open up and nothing should be held from the weapon arsenal in stock. The next 30 days is a critical period to complete this restocking.
Unfortunately, many of the weapons that are in Syria and Iran’s army stockyards are literally obsolete against the Israeli army.
Each conflict and each enemy must have specific set of weapon systems that is used in offensive and defensive missions. The generic stock of weapons available now for these countries are useless, even dangerous for the users. Specific weapons are required to win battles of the air and grounds against the Jews weaponry. It is obvious that Hizbullah fighters are better trained than the Jewish enemy, they are fighting for the motherland and for survival, while the Jews are fighting for blood thirst, genocides and committing crimes against humanity. What is needed, is that to take this great discipline and fighting capabilities and give it the kind of “Technical Weapons” rather than “Field Weapons” that are specifically designed, and configured to be deployed against the itemized list of Jewish hardware’s, system by system. Frankly, for less than 5 million Dollars, Lebanon or any other small Middle East army can utterly eliminate the entire Jewish air force, missiles and Missile defenses. It is a crime not to deploy this system in the next conflict that will be even more decisive than this one, a lot will be riding on the next battle in few months 3-7 at most.
Time for Iran and Syria to think seriously about Lebanon and it’s security, when Lebanon falls, Jews will roam freely straight to Kabul.
Too much time was wasted and barely enough time left.
Military Action is the Fertilizer of the Terrorism Movement
By: RoxieAmerica
Out of Middle East issues an Islamic fundamentalist movement has blossomed. Martyrs for the cause have inspired young people. Middle East policies have helped the cause grow world-wide. Bombs and missiles have not reduced the number of Islamic fundamentalists who are willing to die; in fact, it has increased the numbers and expanded the movement.
Decades of armies responding with military force to terrorism in the Middle East has fertilized the movement. If violence solved terrorism then Palestine and Lebanon would be the most tranquil peaceful places on earth. Bin Laden became a world-wide hero as have other Islamic fundamentalist leaders. Instead of removing the danger created by extremists the armies have increased and spread the dangers across the globe. Billions of dollars spent to destroy an Islamic fundamentalist movement have provided the opposite effect.
A powerful rushing river is not diminished because it forced to run underground. Such a river will cut its way through solid rock only to reappear in another place. So too has the fate of the war on what President Bush calls “Islamic terrorists.” The river of terrorists, once a trickle in a dry river bed is today a worldwide river system.
The solution to terror is not war because war is by its nature terror. War breeds martyrs and martyrs breed growth. Military action is the fertilizer of the terrorism movement. In the case of the United States, its foreign policy has been schizophrenic. The United States supported Iraq in its war with Iran. If the United States had not supported Iraq then Iran would have defeated Iraq and the later problem of Kuwait and the second Gulf War would have never existed. Of course, Iran’s hatred would not have existed for the United States if the United States had not supported keeping the Shah of Iran in power in Iran previous to all of these events.
So too the United States supported Bin Laden’s Islamic fundamentalist movement against the Russians in Afghanistan. After the fall of the Soviet Union, when Bin Laden directed his movement against the United States, Bin Laden was wanted, dead or alive. Such schizophrenic and poor foreign policy choices have left an image in the world the United States is unpredictable and undependable.
The holocaust was not a result of the Germans exterminating Jews. It was the result of the Germans destroying anyone not meeting the definition of an Aryan. It was the result of the world toying with eugenics. “Eugenics is a social philosophy which advocates the improvement of human hereditary traits through various forms of intervention.[1] The purported goals have variously been to create healthier, more intelligent people, save society's resources, and lessen human suffering. Earlier proposed means of achieving these goals focused on selective breeding while modern ones focus on prenatal testing and screening, genetic counseling, birth control, in vitro fertilization, and genetic engineering. Critics argue that eugenics is immoral, and is based on, or is itself, pseudoscience. Historically, eugenics has been used as a justification for coercive state-sponsored discrimination and human rights violations such as forced sterilization of persons with genetic defects, the killing of the institutionalized, and in some cases, genocide on races perceived as inferior.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics)
The United States was actively involved in eugenics. “By the 1930s, most states had passed eugenical laws authorizing the sterilization of "defectives," and in an infamous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed such laws were constitutional. Eugenical lobbying also contributed to the powerful anti-immigration movement of the 1910s and 1920s, using their scientific studies to support the claim that non-whites and immigrants were inferior to native-born white Americans in intelligence, physical condition, and moral stature.”
(http://www.amphilsoc.org/library/exhibits/treasures/aes.htm)
The holocaust was the result of eugenics, not simply a destruction of Israeli people. It was a plan for the destruction of all non-Aryan people. This fact is often lost in the post WWII history. I can best describe the holocaust as a generation thinking it had all the answers and all the wisdom and took action on those beliefs, thus becoming fools. Belief systems can be wrong, and the holocaust is the poster for how a belief system can be wrong and can be pushed to the extreme causing horrors on a vast scale.
I believe the belief system regarding terrorism is also a false-belief system. The policy of “we do not negotiate with terrorists,” and resorting to violence to destroy terrorists has resulted not in the destruction of terrorism but in world-wide expansion of terrorism. Violence against terrorists fails to address and resolve the underlying issues, and thereby fails to end terrorism. Violence against terrorists breeds more martyrs and contributes to fertilizing terrorist organizations. It is time for the world to accept the reality that the current belief system regarding terrorists is a false-belief system. It has yielded a result opposite to the intended result. Billions of dollars in resources have been used and destroyed, without success, in trying to resolve terrorism using the current false-belief system, presenting an image of American-the-fools to the world.
Doing the same thing, over and over again, and expecting different results is not wise. It is time to put away false and failed beliefs and embark on a better plan to deal with world terrorism. (http://blue-is-beautiful.blogspot.com/)
To Syrian Nationalist Party,,,
But what exactly is the point you are trying to make????
"Syria and Iran never came to the aid of the resistance", "Syria has obsolete weapons systems", "time for Iran and Syria to think seariously about Lebanon...". Got me there!!
You have many sound ideas, but in the above post you have lost me, and of course I speak for myself only...
And for God's sake, stop saying "Jews" everytime. We are up against Zionists, and Israelis -and not all Israelies at that-, but we are not against Jews... remember? And we do believe "there" is a difference. That is what they tought us at scholl, and that is what became to see for ourselves as we grew up..
Do not be upset with me, but some stupid fellow called Nihad Al Ghadery is being interviewed on New TV, he is either a bum or a hypocrist. He is wearing good cloth a nice watch, so I think someone is paying for all this. Is he the same Al Ghadery one who popped up in the news a few months ago? I got so fed up with listining to his twisted/deceiving logic so I took refuge here. Only to be met with your long and confusing post... so forgive me for taking it on you..
The main problem is Bush&Co. soluion to Syrian "terrorist" Regime: the "democratic" Muslim Brotherhood. For those who don't know, the "Brothers" are a self-proclaimed, self-admited terrorist organization.
Each times we Syrians get carried away by the "American Dream", we remember the Brotherhood and wake to reality.
For those who don't belive, here's a link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Muslim_Brotherhood_in_Syria
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home