Do the Lebanese really care about who broke up with whom first?
In today’s pro-March14 Almustaqbal newspaper, the main headline read: “Paris confirms breaking all contacts with Damascus”. Later in the same day during a press conference, the Syrian Foreign Minister Walid El Mouallem blurted out: “Syria will stop cooperating with France over Lebanon”. Syria hasn’t lost its sense of humor it seems.
If matters on the ground weren’t so serious, one would be laughing at the spectacle of our last two colonial masters duelling over us. But the fight –originally the outcome of failed negotiations over the Lebanese political impasse– is having a bizarre silliness streak.
Yesterday, Mr. Mouallem, in an effort to contradict Mr. Sarkozy’s statements in Egypt, asserted that the French called him twice after the French President vowed to break all contact with Syria. Not so fast Monsieur! Interjected a Sarkozy aid. We only called you once, and we called you to tell you that we’re not calling you anymore.
It’s like watching a couple squabble childlishly after a breakup. Am I the only one who’s finding this give-and-take between France and Syria extremely silly?
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
No Mustapha,
France wanted to make it clear to the world that Syria grandstands and blows hot air and never cooperated…
Muallem, is a overstuffed pig who’s acting as a jilted lover! Syria has a BIG problem. Their plan of twisting the Arab league summit in Damascus in march might be cancelled or posponed…
I have a feeling that sanctions (with teeth) will be mandated by UN against Syria soon.
I think the sanctions either will start in Europe (more effect on Syria than just the US sanctions) or it will be through the UN (although Russia is playing the Cold War again).
Regarding te Arab Summit, either will be cancelled or low level representatives.
Syria is acting like Iraq Saddam before te Gulf War I and II. They think that the whole world is afraid of them and they are begging them to cooperate. Well, we know what happened to Saddam regime!
It’s a useless move, but meant to look tough.
looking tough is important and our gvmnt should take a cue, especially when our gvmnt has forever kissed the ass of not only every country on the planet but of every shitty foreign and local “resistance” sub-group (I am talking 60s’ on).
Talk is cheap – let’s see some action. Money talks the loudest. Cut is off. France has a lot of influence with the EU – let’s see them use it.
DAMM FRENCH !!!!!!!! S.O.B. ,Pigs, who the hell do they think they are?coming here to tell us what to do.Sarkosy’s comments has no value,no power or support behind it.They have been coming and going like dogs with no solution.They want to pretend that they still have influencial power in Lebanon.They dont want to Undestand that they are nothing.Sarkosy wants to be like the Steenky Pig Chirac,stilling Lebano’s Money truh the Corrupted Siniora Goverment(Deals and Contracts} and Nr. Fag Hariri and his “Solidare” corporation. DAMM COLONISTS,DAMMM LEBANESE ” JUDA” TRAITOR..They seel their country for a few Gold Coins. And one more thing, they real reason why they got “PISS” is because the Syrians told them that they dont have anything more to talk about LEBANON.That they did their part and the cant do more, and that if they want a solution they have to go back to Lebanon and talk with one person and one person only, NO HA,NO SYRIA,NO Farnyieh,No Talal,No Karami…THE ONE THAT IS COLLING THE SHUTS FOR THE OPPOSITION IS : GENERAL AOUN,and the just didnt like that.And he is not receiving orders from nobody,NOBODY…GOD DAMM IT… He is big,real big,he is the real Hero of Lebanon.Long Live General “AOUN”.God Bless him.AMEN.
How sad to read/hear from aounists, like Fadi. They all think aoun is the ‘King of the Road’ while in reality he is the king of the HOLE IN THE ROAD…just an obstructionist! No leadership – just taking his sheeple deeper into the hole…perhaps the reason for their aggression and outburst.
Fadi! You can’t imagine what a pleasure it is to watch nitwits like you foaming at the mouth! What a sublime testament to your dementia ravaged leader.
I pity the poor country that still gives audience and relevance to morons with herd mentality like you and your Hizzibb buddies. You people truly deserve each other. Lebanon deserves better.
Now go on and turn your mouth-frother back on.
hehehehheee…I know you losers are on pain,because you just can get what you want(like the French and the Stupid International Community)and more because your M14 leadres are weak and they are not real leaders just puppies receiving orders.Not like General “AOUN”,he is the real Oposition,he is given the orders not receiving them.The French dont want to deal with him,because he knows how to Scroooooooowwwwww them…And for you M14 and Cedar “Reduction” people just sit back and watch how The General Crush them like CACAROUCH …hehehehe.Because thats what your leaders did to you people…”Reduced” you and your movement to NOTHING..hehehe
PS : Did you people heard HA leader what he said today on NBN Tv ? You Didnt ?????
To bad then..But let me tell you anyways.Pay attention because this is very good..heheheh…He Said:”IF NO VETO POWER IS GIVEN TO THE OPPOSITION THAT REPRESENT THE MAYORITY OF THE LEBANESE THEN “IT WILL BE NO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION”…hehehehe…He put a big Stick on all your M14 Leaders..OMG..This is realy funny…Talk to you later Losers..Long Live General “AOUN”.God bless him.Amen
Sad to see that people like Fady still get excited every time the word General is mentioned, especially after Mouallem’s speech and Nasrallah TV appearance. I call for the public hanging of the biggest traitor of all of Lebanon’s history. Yes hanging because France will not open it’s door to him again.
Ya Fadi wake up and listen to Mouallem and Hassan speeches and then come and tell me that Aoun is not on their payroll.
“Benit soit les pauvres d’esprits car le royaume des cieux leur ai grand ouvert”.
Akh… I still can’t beleive the influence Syria has over Lebanon
I watched Nasrallah’s interview (not one of his greatest) but as always, modest – When will we ever learn, that we are just a pebble of dust in the cosmos.
France ‘Sarkozy’ convinced US ‘Bush’ during their last summit that France’s diplomacy will be able to break the Syrian-Iranian alliance by seducing Syria into economic incentives and strong relashion build-up with the EU partners. France and Europe started open and direct negotiations with the Syrians using the Lebanese crisis as a leverage with the only intention to isolate Iran from the rest of the world.
Of course the Europeans understood that Syria’s ecnomy is crucial for the survival of the baath regime. France’s new way of doing politics is through economy (Kaddafi’s example), they were convinced that by seducing Syria into the european common market and free trade, they will be able to offer more than Iran’s car factories and its low priced oil supply and military assistance.
Together the europeans and france failed with their speculation, the United states knew in advance that this policy will fail. Furthermore, econmic sanctions and embargos will not be effecient for the same reasons mentionned above. Why? its very simple; If one needs to embark in deal-making with the Syrians, he needs to be able to GUARANTEE to Bashar that the International Tribunal will have no impact on the Regime if the Syrian ‘intellengencia’ was to be found implicated in the murder of Hariri. One needs to be able to deviate the International investigaion commission’s findings.
The only power in the world which is able to do that is the US. This is why the Syrians did not take the French seriously, the want the deal-breaker. As long as the US does not fall under Israel’s pressure to save the baath regime and Syria malign intent, Lebanon will gain back its sovereignty and idependence.
This is the deal-breaker! and politics is an art of the possibilities. In my opinion Syria is hedging on time. The American presidentials will defently play a big role in softening the US pressure since foreign policy will be relegated to second rank.
Dory,
I could not have said better!!!
I agree Dory, but those American elections and new President are still a year away.
I don’t Lebanon can last that long. The Government is going to be forced into some actions to keep the country afloat economically. The “key” right now is the Arab states. They have the most immediate power over Syria.
That’s a great cartoon of Michael Totten on the left, but who is the other guy supposed to be?
The syrians will buy time but the IT looms large to them and they will up the ante through their allies until they get the attention again of the arabs and the west…they have been playing this game far too long and have become experts at it! Something is different this time though…no one is willing to court the syrian regime anymore and that’s what they are having a problem understanding.