Reactions from the Lebanese blogosphere

Following Lebanon's pro-majority win, the Lebanese blogosphere, and other Lebanese media outlets, have been hoppin'. Here are some interesting reactions:

On The Ouwet Front, writers posted notes of congratulations:

Congratulations my friends.

GOD BLESS THE FREE LEBANESE PEOPLE

10452KM2 ALWAYS

and

Mabrouk lal Sheikh Nadim Bashir Gemayel!
Mabrouk la Nayla Gebran Tueni!

and posted pictures of Beirut celebrations:

Assad does not want real peace with Israel

In the last two or three years, a number of old arguments regarding Syria have again become fashionable. One of them is that peace with Syria is not only "there to be had," but that it may lead to drastic changes in Syrian behavior, in turn altering regional dynamics for the better. However, in several recent interviews, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made statements that paint a very different picture.

In his comments, Assad clarified exactly what he meant by "peace" with Israel, and it bore no resemblance to the rosy scenarios painted by the "peace processors." In fact, the president raised serious questions about the value of any such deal altogether.

In a recent interview with the Emirati newspaper Al-Khaleej, Assad made a remarkable - and indeed unprecedented - comment about what his concept of "peace" with Israel was. "A peace agreement," he said, "is a piece of paper you sign. This does not mean trade and normal relations, or borders, or otherwise."

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Syria and the rockets from Lebanon

As expected, a few rockets were lobbed into Israel. While no one has claimed responsibility, it's fairly clear a) who's behind it, and b) why.

The threat of rockets from Lebanon was delivered early on in the fighting when the Lebanese Armed Forces dismantled eight Katyusha rockets set for firing into Israel. The Lebanese authorities at the time openly suspected this to be the work of the Syrian proxy, the Damascus-based PFLP-GC [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command].

Then, as the fighting went on in Gaza, the Iranians sent a delegate to Damascus, Saeed Jalili, to discuss the Gaza situation with the Syrians and the Palesitinian factions based there. After the meeting, the PFLP-GC's secretary general, Ahmad Jibril, declared that "new military fronts will be opened and the circle of war will be widened as long as the Rafah crossing remained closed."

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Syria: Terror Inc.

The list of countries affected by Syrian terror sponsorship had (most recently) included states like Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the US, Germany (and US targets there), Spain, Israel and more. Now add Bahrain to the list (Arabic articles here and here).

The Bahraini (Shiites) who were arrested for plotting to carry out major terror attacks during Bahrain's national holiday on December 17, trained for their operation in Syria, adding further support to the charge that Syria is Terror Grand Central - - consciously using its territory as a safe haven, revolving door, and distribution/reorientation hub for terrorists of all stripes targeting Syria's enemies (which happen to be the US and its allies).

Syria sets its trap for the Obama administration

This article originally appeared as part of a symposium titled An Obama Administration in the Middle East published by the MERIA Journal in December 2008, Vol 12 No.4 .

In approaching Syria, the new administration will have to navigate carefully amidst myths, fantasies, and traps laid not just by the Syrians, but also by credulous experts here in the United States. The best way to do so is to assess soberly the Syrian regime's nature, interests, priorities, and instruments as well as the history of diplomatic engagement with it.

Syria wants the US to adopt its own grossly inflated self-image as a major regional power without which "nothing can be done" in the Middle East. Despite a concept of its role far outweighing its capabilities, Syria is, in fact, a weak Third World country with few resources. As such, in order to project an influence well above its weight, the Syrian regime has chronically relied on violence, terrorist proxies, acting as a spoiler, and Iran, with whom it has had an enduring 30-year old strategic alliance.

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