Saad’s “Mission” In Washington
If you’re still wondering why Mr. Saad Hariri went to Washington, take a look at what Jackson Diehl from the Washington Post’s editorial board has to say.
Big plans..
In “As Lebanon Goes,” Mr. Diehl argues that Mr. Hariri’s visit is about nothing less ambitious than “defeating [the Middle East's] conventional wisdom”. The conventional wisdom being this:
Middle East analysts and many Lebanese tend to shruggingly conclude that nothing can be resolved until the larger regional standoff is settled.
In a nutshell, what the article is saying is that Mr. Hariri is lobbying for an international moral clarity about Syria, similar to the one that existed right after his father Mr. Hariri Sr. was assassinated.
Hariri Jr. had noticed that the world is softening up on Syria and is tempted to engage with the Assad dictatorship, so he wanted to remind the movers and shakers in the west of the Lebanese promise:
Hariri argues implicitly for a different strategy, one that starts rather than ends in Lebanon. “It is possible to pressure Syria by threatening isolation,” he says. “When Rafiq Hariri was assassinated, the whole world talked with one language — and when the whole world said it, Syria got out of Lebanon, because they were afraid that the world would isolate Syria.” If the same coalition were to unite in demanding that Damascus stop interfering in the Lebanese presidential election, Hariri reasons, the Lebanese could strike a deal that would allow the choice of a president committed to the country’s independence, to strengthening its government and its armed forces, and to creating a state that would eventually crowd out militias such as Hezbollah.
Sounds a tad ambitious if not downright unrealistic to me. Thoughts?
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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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what will Hariri hear is one thing and what he will get is an other. I am afraid that Hariri is asking help from an already tired and weakened nation the US has become. This adimistration unfortunately suffers on many fronts, internally the congress is split, the public opinion is rather hostile to its government, the world opinion is sickened by the Iraqi war, the european union does not endorse US foreign policy and the US arab allies (Saudi, egypt and Jordan) crtisize the US openely on its bad management of the Iraqi crisis, the peace conference the US is trying to leverage before the republicans leave office is nothing but a tatical move to absorb the arab frustration. Hariri will hear word of support and will get the theatrical US hospitability, but nothing more unfortunately. In my opinion, as much as I like the `cedar revolution’ to succeed in promoting Harb or Lahoud, it missed to seize a historical event to change the course of politics in Lebanon. Any similar revolution anywhere in the world would have toppled govts and would have managed to start a new republic. The March 14 ease and fragility in taking things into hands and revolving around the “tawafuk” plus its inability to absorb Aoun and his mass have undoughtably made the movement inefficient and helpless. Let’s face it; Israel the biggest Ally in the middle east is convincing the US not to pressure the Assad regime(the only arab occupied country) which renounced to the arms struggle with Israel. The Golan is the safest peace of occupied land in the arab world today. The US will have no choice but to succumb to Israel pressure and to negociate with Syria. After all, the US interests prevail. As to the presidential elections, the Lucky man will inevitably be neither from 14 nor from 8. Suprisingly enough, the constitution will be amended(the price 14M will have to pay) the benefit will be on the prime minister choice. This is the sad story all the martyres died for.
I concur whith what Dory wrote. I have doubt about US support for Lebanon, what happened last summer was a perfect example. Also remember 1983-84, how the US left Lebanon in the hands of the Syrian regime?
Kheireddine,
I have been so previleged by your support of my opinion, I have failed to trigger a debate with you, we seem to be on the same wave length, however it does not tickle an opposite opinion to create an even better alliance.
First reply of the US to Hariri while he is still in Newyork trying to get support from the UN to pressure syria and promote the International tribunal is the following:
???? ????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????????? ???????? ????????? ????? ??? ??? “?????????” ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ?? ?????
This is the UN resolution 14M movement was waiting for. Disappointing isn’t it?
As for Hariri, it seemed that his efforts went in vain. I think he will have to face Geagea and Joumblat. Two leaders who know that if Syria succeeded in promoting a moderate president who does not alienate the Assad regime, their lives will be jeopardy and they will be defenitely be eliminated physically. Considering they will be a danger to the national consensus and to Syria’s will. We missed Iran in all that turmoil; the last thing the US want to do is engaging in a war with Iran thus putting the whole oil wells in the region in danger(the only reason why the US toppeled Saddam)the US only purpose is to secure a safe flow of oil at cheap prices. Iran will succumb to the International pressure, Najjad will be replaced by a moderate president. The US will succeed in overthrowing najjad from within; already the Iranian university students have rioted yesterday and they cried out loud ” death to the dictator”.
“The Golan is the safest peace of occupied land in the arab world today.”
I am not certain this argument holds anymore. The Israelis realize a large part of the problems they face on Lebanese borders and the Palestinian territories is incited and directly supported by the Syrians. Bashir’s Syria is a whole lot different than his father’s.
Joe,
Maybe you wanted to say bashar’s Syria!
anyway the US delegated to the turks the dirty Job it doesn’t want to do. If you read the news you will realize that US while it threatens Syria with isolation and sanctions(the stick policy), sends the Turks(who by the way are both Israel and US ally) to do the negociations and report back to Olmert and Bush.
I also agree with Dory’s assessment here.
What is this lowlife cockroach doing in the United States?
A diplomat? Diplomat of a garbage dump, yeah, maybe, but touring world capitals as if he was the reincarnation of Fouad Butros? I don’t think so.
Ignore the idiot he is a piece a shit that is not worth talking about in terms of diplomacy, better for him to go check his Saudi uncles and their interests in Pakistan.
To Imad dont go all vigilant on Saad he is not the one who killed the Hussein
so RELAX
First,
The US is not a “tired and weakened nation the US has become”. The US can engage in another war theater is less than a week notice! The US is applying the cold war strategy in dealing with Iran ans Syria. The strategy that defeated the second strongent country at that time (the Soviet Union) with hundreds of nuclear missles and a much stronger military! Where is the Sovient Union now?
The Syrian regime was about to be toppled if not the Israeli objection. Israel wants to keep the Asad mafia regime in control of Syria (for now!) Look at the quiet Golan Heights front. The Syrian regime denied that anything was bomded in Syria last month but Bashar admitted it when he was interviewed by the BBC!
To Amad, be civilized and present your point! Amer said it the best he did not killed Al-Hussein!!!
Is Syria really the friend of Iran – or -do they just play one on TV ?
This is how syria is making itself “useful” – they play Irans friend – get info – pass it to the west -in exchange – they are left alone
I hope he stays there and never comes back
leave Lebanon to the Lebanese.
Same can be said about Sayyed Hassan, let him move to Iran…
Great idea! I will buy Nasralah a one way ticket to Iran with a stop over in Syria and take with him the other Baath and SSNP trash!
Seriously you need therapy
Ghassan, you got it right, but don’t try to explain it to those who believed that Saddam was going to kick amrikas ass… or worse to those who believe that the islamic republic of Iran will last more than half a year. They keep talking about the americans, and what the americans did to the lebanese. Poor victims!!! last summers war is lebanons fault, we were the idiots for allowing and supporting a militia, we got destroyed and we freakin deserve it!!! but we know how to blame everybody else and never our(retarded)selves! Anyway as long as the lebanese will keep criticizing the US, the US is going to kick their ass back in a way or another. Once we take a clear stance, ally ourselves with the americans for real, the US will fight the WORLD to defend us just like it is doing for Israel.
Has Saad lost his mind ?!!
What makes him think the Yanks would put a leash on thier Masters in Israel and force them to give back Shebba farms to Lebanon , Golan hight to Syria and the occupied territory to the Palestinians ?!!
That is the only thing that will remove the reason for Hezbolah existing , Lebanese government being weak , Asad not making peace with with Israel and the rest of the region being at the state of war with Israel .
Ralf Says:
” Once we take a clear stance, ally ourselves with the americans for real, the US will fight the WORLD to defend us just like it is doing for Israel.”
Keep on sleep walking through life !!The only reason US defend Israel is the hold that AIPAC and the Zio-Media has over corrupt American politicians .
Ralf Says:
” Once we take a clear stance, ally ourselves with the americans for real, the US will fight the WORLD to defend us just like it is doing for Israel.”
Keep on sleep walking through life !!The only reason US defend Israel is the hold that AIPAC and the Zio-Media has over corrupt American politicians .