A Most Valuable Whistleblower
Abdelhalim Khaddam might go down in history as the man who killed the Syrian Baath.
Here’s my favorite new hobby: Watching Syrian “experts” comment on what their previous vice president has just said. Somewhere between their mumbling and their bumbling, you could relish in their impotence to produce arguments against a man who, until yesterday, was considered one of the people you can’t criticize.
But rest assured. Their tongues won’t be tied forever. They are just waiting to take their cue from the regime’s lousy spin master who will eventually design an elaborate Khaddam-is-one-of-the-bad-guys story. Something along the lines of being brainwashed in Paris by a Chirac who is too eager to destroy the last bastion of Arabism.
Khaddam’s closeness to the Hariris is an established fact; nevertheless, his testimony remains very significant not least because it was the first to come from a Syrian high official. His defection might encourage others to follow suite and might embolden hesitant Lebanese pro-Syrians (like Nabih Berri) to make up their minds. (In a way, Khaddam gave Berri an opening when he said that Ghazaleh Threatened Hariri, Jumblat and Berri).
The repercussions remain to be seen, but I estimate that this is indeed a very significant turning point.
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Hello, my name is Mustapha and I blog in The Beirut Spring about Lebanese society and politics. I started in February 2005 after the killing of P.M. Rafik Hariri.
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I wonder what will the pro-Syrians say this time. That Khaddam don’t know what he’s talking about? I predict that we’ll laugh soon.
Dude,
No need to “design an elaborate Khaddam-is-one-of-the-bad-guys story”…
The man is already a living collaborationist legend in his own right: kind of like Nietzsche’s Zoroaster, he’s beyond the passé ethics of good vs. bad for he knows better than any other Damascus bureaucrat that Hafez/Allah is dead, as dead as the Baath party’s fatigued slogans…after all, a man has to live with his time…why not enjoy the earthly pleasures king Saud’s petro-dollars can buy?…If you’re going to be a sycophant to an Ayyrab despot, you might as well chose a wealthy one…just like sheikh Rafiq Al-Hariri and Gebran Tueni Al-Zola Al-Saudistani…blah blah… Zzzzzzzzzzz
Comrade Khaddâm’s “disinterested love of Lebanon and its glorious March 14 avant-garde” was strongly cemented by feudal intermarriages [Dalloul + Hariri] cum shared spoils of crooked government tenders between 1991 and 2003 [Dalloul + Hariri + Khaddâm]: as the French say, these days one can’t just live off friendship and fresh water!
In 1989, when Khaddâm, Fahd, and Hariri engineered the collaborationist Taef “agreement” using a deadly mix of Wahhâbi dollars and Syrian menaces to sway hesitant Christian and Shiite lawmakers, a famous Paris-based Lebanese exile said the following:
“In a way, I can understand Khaddâm: the man is a thug but at least he works for his country…as for Hariri, well he’s just an amateur politician who thinks that he can succeed by collaborating with the enemy”
In many ways, MP Raymond Eddé was speaking highly prescient words
Hey Mustapha, nice to see you posting again. Its been 13 bloody days since your last post!
I was starting to be worried about you. Glad you are ok.
Thanks for you concern guys.
I’m going through some challenging times (breakup with fiancée, Moving countries, Changing careers, family tension).
I need a bit more time to regain my blogging prolificacy, but meanwhile I’ll be on and off and comment about major events.
Hope things will be back to normal soon. Again, Thank you for your concern.
Mr. Mousse,
Glad to see you’re back in e-verve
And don’t worry too much about your ex: you loose one only to find ten others as they say in Gallicistan
:)
Hi Mustapha,
If you weren’t so young, I’d say all those events in your life were a midlife crisis - now all you need is a red Porsche.
Nice to have you back.
Allah ‘y koun ma3ak. That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger; hopefully!
It’s time for hizbullah and AMAL to decide a stance, if they continue to play this foxy game, let them go to To syria be nationalized there and meke turmoil on their border. enough is enough Because of this mess Lebanon is in recession, people in despair and the shiite parties are just following their interest, selfish of them!!!!
A.F saad SC USA
I am sorry about this Mustafa. The best way of solving your problems is not to think about them : just go out and have fun.
Allah y’awik Mustapha. I wish you a good and peaceful new year.
Happy New Year.Welcome back.
This Khaddam story is getting really funny.Don’t you think?
I just wish for the lebanese to stay united,as Maggie Farah said, this year is going to be bloody. Again,happy new year for you all.
Wishing you all the best Mustapaha. Hang in there, the Lebanese blogosphere needs you. :)
Those who are interested in the study of dictatorship as a form of government should thank former VP Khaddam if only because he revealed a lot about the dictatorship in his country, how it works and what makes its supporters tick. Those who are intent on dismantling this dictatorship should also listen carefully to what A-H Khaddam has been - and will be - saying. They need this precious knowledge if they were to succeed in their endeavor.
Hey Mus, are you OK?
Starting to get worried ya Moustapha…
Hope all is well with you.
Nice blog.
Pls take a look at mine and link it up here.
R U still alive Mustapha ?
We miss you