Wrong turn in Lebanon

Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, February 22, 2005 | By Walid Phares

[JohnHuang2]

When the blasts rocked Beirut, massacring former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and his companions, history was taking a new turn in Lebanon: In the hours after the barbaric killing, the dice were rolling. Muslim Sunnis were breaking away from Syrian President Bashar Assad's control, and a Sunni-Druze-Christians alliance was rising while reaching out to the Shi'ite community. How is it that the Syrian regime, known to be a shrewd planner and a long term strategist, would commit a political suicide? Execute Hariri in daylight and wait for the funerals to take place and for the international community to react, is not at all an Assad smart move. How could the regime's elite allow such a gigantic mistake to be perpetrated?

[MEG33]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/10919732.htm
Posted on Thu, Feb. 17, 2005

LEBANON ASSASSINATION


Beware the Law of Unintended Consequences

BY FRIDA GHITIS

fghitis@yahoo.com


Many men wept when they heard of the death of Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's larger than life billionaire former prime minister. Among those who felt personally wounded by the news of Hariri's killing in a massive explosion along Beirut's waterfront was a close personal friend, none other than French president Jacques Chirac. Chirac and Hariri had such a close relationship -- indeed, Lebanon and France have had such a unique relationship -- that many in Paris believe the killing of Hariri was intended as a direct message to Chirac and to France to stop meddling with Syrian interests in Lebanon. The message, however, will likely produce quite the opposite result.
snip

[MEG33]

"Hence the Ba'athist mind had made its choice, implacably, to eliminate the pillars of Lebanese liberation as the international campaign was building at the horizon. That is pre-emptive strike. They knew that killing Mr. Hariri would be bad for them, but his freedom was worse. Damascus' plan is apocalyptic. If they go down, they will take everyone with them, or so they plan. Beirut was the Paris of the Middle East. But in contrast, with the survival of the French capital as the Nazis withdrew, the Ba'athists wants chaos and blood to spread if their forces are compelled to flee. They don't want to see reconstruction after their departure, but Hizbollah's wrath, and an endless violence. They want the Lebanese and the world to regret their "iron presence."

Yes but the Baathists are secular and the women have more rights/sarcasm

[shibumi]

" that many in Paris believe the killing of Hariri was intended as a direct message to Chirac and to France to stop meddling with Syrian interests in Lebanon. The message, however, will likely produce quite the opposite result."

Gee! Looks like the Frogs will have yet another opportunity to get into a situation they can't get out of an call on their "historical allies" to bail them out.

[EGPWS]

How is it that the Syrian regime, known to be a shrewd planner and a long term strategist, would commit a political suicide?

LoL!

Four more years will create even more comical MSM dribble!

[elhombrelibre]

Syria has run out of the one thing it's needed to continue in the terrorist business that's allowed it to use proxies to fight its battles. That is, it's run out of plausible denial. Everyone things Syria did this because it did.