LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
March
24/2010
Bible Of the
Day
Luke10/38-41: "It happened as they went on their way, he entered into a
certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
10:39 She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his
word. 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him,
and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her
therefore to help me.” 10:41 Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are
anxious and troubled about many things, 10:42 but one thing is needed. Mary has
chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Free Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special
Reports
Missionary man in Damascus/By: Tony
Badran/March 23/10
Sulaiman is caught in the middle/GulfNews/March 23/10
Latest News Reports From
Miscellaneous Sources for March 23/10
Clinton: Hizbullah, Hamas Rockets Pose Threat/Naharnet
Sfeir:
Presidency Above All Else/Naharnet
Wahhab says Sleiman did not keep
his promises/Now Lebanon
Sleiman meets with top Iranian
official/Now Lebanon
Lebanon Likely to Assign
Ziade to Libya Summit as Syria, Turkey Step in to Mediate Participation/Naharnet
U.S. Among Donor Countries
to Border Control Program/Naharnet
Syrian Message of Support for
Suleiman, Constitutional Institutions/Naharnet
20
Qaida-Linked Terrorists Sentenced Up to 15 Years in Prison/Naharnet
Williams Hopes for Free and Fair Municipal Elections/Naharnet
US to ease airport process for
Lebanese/Daily Star
Tribunal investigators to start 3D
filming at Hariri murder scene/Daily
Star
Mothers of detained Fatah al-Islam
members hold protest/Daily
Star
Lebanon mulls official invite to
Libya Arab League summit/AFP
Turkey voices support for Lebanese
sovereignty, condemns Israeli aggression/Daily
Star
Saudi foreign minister visits
Damascus to promote ties/Daily
Star
Sison: US won't pursue its goals at
Lebanon's expense/Daily
Star
Parliament airs election reform
deadline fears/Daily
Star
Lebanon ranks 45th globally, 6th in
MENA region in e-participation/Daily
Star
Abboud sees Lebanon tourism
increasing by up to 20 percent/Daily
Star
Lebanese delegation returns from
Manila summit/Daily
Star
Arrest warrant issued for suspected
spy for Israel/Daily
Star
Wafaa Sleiman calls for improving
children's rights/Daily
Star
LAU gathering looks to stars for
local solutions/Daily
Star
Khalaf: Friends of Kamal Jumblatt
Committee not political party/Daily
Star
Palestinian cause provides
inspiration at Arabic calligraphy competition in Sidon/Daily
Star
Mothers' Day remembered in Sidon
cemetery/Daily Star
Palestinian refugees' job prospects
should be enhanced - study/Daily
Star
Lebanese children raise funds to build kindergarten in Gaza/Daily
Star
Sfeir:
Presidency Above All Else
/Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir reiterated on Tuesday that "the
presidency remains above all else" and wondered whether the sources of the
campaign against President Michel Suleiman were "internal or external." On the
issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, Sfeir told a delegation from the
Editors' Syndicate that the court "should say the truth and impose justice." The
prelate also discussed with his visitors the issue of all-party talks, hoping
the national dialogue "would achieve the hoped for results." "This dialogue
should be among the people," he said. "The government is seeking to carry out
its obligations. There are a lot of things that need to be done but it (the
cabinet) should be given some time."Sfeir also stressed that municipal elections
should be held on time "whether based on the old or new law." Beirut, 23 Mar 10,
13:11
Clinton: Hizbullah, Hamas Rockets Pose Threat
Naharnet/U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the "ever-evolving
technology of war is making it harder to guarantee Israel's security."
"For six decades, Israelis have guarded their borders vigilantly. But advances
in rocket technology mean that Israeli families are now at risk far from those
borders," Clinton said in remarks at the 2010 Policy Conference of the Committee
for Israeli-U.S. relations (AIPAC). "Despite efforts at containment, rockets
with better guidance systems, longer range, and more destructive power are
spreading across the region. Hizbullah has amassed tens of thousands of rockets
on Israel's northern border. Hamas has a substantial number in Gaza. And even if
some of these are still crude, they all pose a serious danger, as we saw again
last week," she added. Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 09:45
U.S. Softens Airport Measures against Lebanese Travelers
Naharnet/Washington has reportedly decided to revoke a decision on boosting
security measures and restrictions on Lebanese travelers to and from the United
States. A report published by the Central News Agency said officials at Baabda
Palace were notified of the decision. CNA said the resolution ensures equal
treatment of Lebanese passengers.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority was said to have received a list of
instructions from Washington, saying travelers may be subjected to random manual
inspection that includes sensitive body parts like the buttocks. The decision
not only applies to Saudi Arabia, but also to Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen,
Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Cuba. The
instructions also included denying passengers access to toilet facilities an
hour before the flight's arrival to any U.S. airport. They gave security guards
the right to monitor any individuals using toilets more than once during the
flight and the right to use x-ray vision at airport security checkpoints to give
a naked image of passengers. Travelers were also banned, under the order, from
covering themselves with blankets throughout the trip. Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 08:05
Lebanon Likely to Assign Ziade to Libya Summit as Syria,
Turkey Step in to Mediate Participation
Naharnet/Lebanon will make a final decision Wednesday on the participation at
the Arab League summit scheduled in Libya March 27-28 amid reports of
Syrian-Turkish mediation.
Local media on Tuesday said the government is likely to assign Lebanon's
Ambassador to Egypt and Arab League delegate Khaled Ziade to attend the summit.
They said Cabinet will discuss Lebanon's participation during a session to be
held on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace, and not at the Grand Serail if
President Michel Suleiman or Prime Minister Saad Hariri thought the issue
necessitates urgent consideration in Baabda. Regional events require that
Lebanon takes part in the summit based on the "exit" that had been worked out by
Arab League chief Amr Moussa which stated that Libya hands over an invitation to
Lebanon and his insistence not to allow any seat to remain vacant.
Moussa also highlighted the importance of Lebanon's participation so that the
Arab League summit could come out with resolutions that promote solidarity and
joint Arab action.
Al-Liwaa newspaper, citing political sources, said a surprise visit by Saudi
Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal to Syria on Monday was likely to contribute to
finding a way out to the participation crisis. The sources said Turkey was also
possibly seeking to soften Speaker Nabih Berri's position on the issue of
boycotting the summit and convince him to approve that Lebanon be represented at
ambassador level. Berri is in Turkey since Sunday for talks with top officials
on regional issues and ways to consolidate Arab-Turkish dialogue. The daily An
Nahar, for its part, said instructions were given Monday to Lebanon's Charge
d'Affaires to Libya Nazih Ashour to travel to the Libyan province of Sirte to be
close, but not part of, the preparatory meetings. Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 08:36
20 Qaida-Linked Terrorists Sentenced Up to 15 Years in Prison
Naharnet/A Lebanese military court on Tuesday sentenced 20 Islamists linked to
al-Qaida on charges of plotting "terrorist attacks," a judicial source said.
Judge Nizar Khalil found the accused guilty of "belonging to al-Qaida and
forming an armed gang with the aim of attacking civilians and undermining the
state and its authority, attempting to execute terrorist attacks, forging
official documents and transferring arms and wireless devices," the source
added. The court sentenced seven people, Palestinians and Syrians, to 15 years
in prison in absentia. The 13 others, who had formed a separate cell, were in
custody and received sentences of two to 10 years in prison. They include Saudi
Arabian, Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese nationals. Members of the 13-strong
cell have also been interrogated by a U.N. court investigating the assassination
of former PM Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a massive car bombing in Beirut in
2005.(AFP-Naharnet)
Williams Hopes for Free and Fair Municipal Elections
Naharnet/United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams hoped
on Tuesday that municipal elections would be held in a free and democratic
atmosphere.
"Lebanon's parliament is in the process of discussing draft reforms for the
municipal elections that may take place in the near future. Whatever the
Lebanese decide in this regard, we hope that the elections will take place in a
free, fair and democratic atmosphere," Williams said following talks with
Premier Saad Hariri at the Grand Serail.Williams also welcomed the recent
national dialogue session at Baabda palace and "the reaffirmation of the
commitment of Lebanese leaders to stability and calm rhetoric."He told reporters
that he discussed with Hariri about his briefing to the U.N. Security Council on
the implementation of resolution 1701 on March 12. "I briefed the prime minister
that on the Security Council there was strong support in all quarters for
Lebanon and for the full implementation of resolution 1701. We hope that all
relevant parties will make progress on issues related to the resolution in the
coming period," Williams said. Asked about what should be done to see resolution
1701 fully implemented, the U.N. official said: "We all have to work much
harder. Much has been achieved on that resolution but there is much more to be
done."He reiterated that Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty are taking
place on a daily basis. "That is acknowledged by the reports that I give and the
briefing that I gave to the Security Council. Of course it is not just air
violations. There is the subject of the occupation of the northern part of
Ghajar village, the Shebaa Farms." Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 14:13
Karami Stands in Support of Wahab: Suleiman's Silence is Strange
Naharnet/Former Prime Minister Omar Karami on Tuesday defended verbal attacks
made against President Michel Suleiman by Tawheed Movement leader Wiam Wahab.
"President Suleiman's silence is a strange thing because silence means
acceptance," Karami told reporters after meeting Wahab. He criticized Lebanese
Forces leader Samir Geagea. Geagea "appointed himself Suleiman's lawyer when one
month ago he was attacking the President, saying he is no longer a consensus
president," Karami said. Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 14:30
Committee Sets Out Road Map for Administrative Appointments
Naharnet/Prime Minister Saad Hariri is due to chair a meeting on Tuesday of the
committee tasked with drawing up a mechanism for administrative appointments
following a series of sessions held under Defense Minister Elias Murr. State
Minister for Administrative Development Mohammed Fneish told the daily Al-Nahar
in remarks published Tuesday that the Committee has "provided concrete and
practical steps in drawing up a road map for appointments to fill vacant posts
at various public institutions." Fneish said debate was not yet over, pending a
meeting with Hariri. Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 14:26
German Police Arrest Suspected Lebanese Poker Heist Mastermind
Naharnet/German police said Monday they had arrested the alleged mastermind
behind a spectacular armed raid earlier this month on a high-stakes poker
tournament at one of Berlin's swankiest hotels. The 28-year-old Lebanese man was
seized on Sunday night, police said. "According to the current state of our
investigation, the suspect is thought to have been the organizer and brains
behind the operation. He also drove the getaway car," a black Mercedes-Benz,
Berlin police said in a statement. Investigators are still searching for the
242,000 euros (327,000 dollars) in cash snatched in the brazen, daylight raid,
likened in some media to the Hollywood blockbuster "Ocean's 11." On March 6, a
masked gang of four wielding handguns and machetes burst into the Hyatt hotel
near Berlin's Potsdamer Platz and made off with bags of cash in the ensuing
chaos, which was captured on dramatic TV pictures.
Police have since gradually reeled in all the gang members. The tournament, the
German leg of the European Poker Tour, attracted around 950 participants
including German tennis legend Boris Becker with 4.7 million euros in prize
money up for grabs. The game continued after the raid, with the one-million euro
top prize eventually won by American online poker star Kevin "ImaLuckSac"
MacPhee.(AFP) Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 10:36
Saudi Citizen Returns Home after Acquittal on Spy Charges
Naharnet/Saudi citizen Mohammed Jawad al-Issa has returned home after acquittal
on charges of spying for Israel. Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali bin Awad al-Asiri
told pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Tuesday that the embassy
ensured Issa's return after being found "innocent" of espionage. The daily said
Issa was heartbroken after a love split.
The heartbroken Saudi, who was studying medicine in Jordan, was arrested on
Wednesday as he tried to cross the barbed wire fence along the Lebanon-Israel
border. Lebanese security forces nabbed Issa, 26, at Kfar Kila just as he
apparently attempted to draw the attention of nearby Israeli troops. Asharq al-Awsat
said Issa tried to cross the barbed wire fence seeking "martyrdom" at the hands
of Israeli soldiers over the emotional misery. Lebanese army investigators have
discovered that Issa is suffering an emotional breakdown and came to Lebanon
from Jordan after he was crushed when he broke up with his Palestinian
girlfriend. A Lebanese security official told Agence France Presse that Issa
told police that he thought if he cursed and insulted the Israelis, they would
open fire and kill him, and that way he would at least die an honorable death.
Beirut, 23 Mar 10, 10:33
Hizbullah, Hamas should be Part of Peace Talks, Lula
Naharnet/A negotiated Middle East peace will only be possible if Iran, Hamas and
Hizbullah are part of the dialogue, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
said.
In his weekly "Coffee with the President" broadcast, Lula advocated "dialogue
with the Iranians, with the Syrians, with Israel, with the Palestinians, with
Hamas and with Hizbullah."
He said ignoring any of these interlocutors would leave a "void" at the
negotiating table. The Islamic Hamas movement is listed by the European Union
and the United States as a terror organization, while Hizbullah is a longtime
adversary of Israel's. Lula's remarks here echoed comments made during travels
last week in the Middle East, where he met with Israeli, Palestinian and
Jordanian leaders -- the first visit to the region by a Brazilian head of state.
He offered his government's services in helping to resolve the Middle East
impasse, but added that his country would only play role if "invited" to do so.
"Everyone talks about the crisis in the Middle East, but no one is doing
anything to fix it. Brazil is trying to do its part," Lula said.(AFP) Beirut, 23
Mar 10, 09:01
Berri: I Don't Believe That U.S. Can't Persuade Israel
Naharnet/Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday hailed the role of Turkey in supporting
Lebanon and the Palestinian cause. At a joint press conference with his Turkish
counterpart Mehmet Ali Sahin, Berri lauded the welcoming he received from the
Turkish leadership. He voiced rejection "to what Israel is conducting of
aggressions against the holy sites and Palestinian people and lands," noting
that "rebuilding the Hourva synagogue on the ruins of a mosque and near al-Aqsa
Mosque reflects the Israeli expansion policy and Judaization attempts."
"Israel doesn't want peace and not Arabs; and I don't believe that the U.S.
can't influence its ally," Berri added. The speaker informed his Turkish
counterpart that "the agreements signed between the Lebanese and Turkish
governments will be on the agenda of the next parliamentary session for approval
after the foreign affairs committee endorsed them last week."
Beirut, 22 Mar 10, 21:55
Sulaiman is caught in the middle
By trying to please all the players in Lebanese politics, the president has
ultimately satisfied no one
By Sami Moubayed, Special to Gulf News
Published: 00:00 March 23, 2010
Reader comments (0)
The pro-Hariri camp is angry with Sulaiman for caving into Shiite pressure and
declining an invitation to attend the upcoming Arab summit in Libya. Image
Credit: Illustration: Guilermo Munro/Gulf NewsIn 2008, regional powers decided
that having a weak and independent politician like Michel Sulaiman as president
was better than having a powerful one like Michel Aoun in Baabda Palace. The
Sa'ad Hariri team, backed by Saudi Arabia, felt that Aoun was uncontrollable and
would certainly overshadow his Sunni prime minister, empowering Lebanese
Christians at the expense of Lebanese Muslims. The Syrians were not too
enthusiastic about Aoun either, given their history of bad blood with him during
his long exile in France in the 1990s. They believed that despite all the
promising talk by the Lebanese general, there was no telling how he would act
towards Damascus and Hezbollah once in power in Beirut. In short, they did not
trust Aoun in 2008 though this has changed since the Lebanese general made three
thundering and reassuring visits to Damascus in 2009-2010. Why, though, is
everybody seemingly upset with Sulaiman today, less than two years after he came
to power?
The pro-Hariri/pro-Saudi camp feels that Sulaiman is too weak weaker than
necessary perhaps and too much of an independent, unfit for the difficult times
Lebanon is going through. His weakness has made him an easy target. He does not
hail from any of the large, influential Maronite families, and he has no
political party, media machine or militia to defend him.
The pro-Hariri camp is angry with Sulaiman for caving into Shiite pressure and
declining an invitation to attend the upcoming Arab summit in Libya. Heavyweight
Shiites asked him not to go, claiming that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is
responsible for the disappearance of influential Shiite cleric Mousa Al Sadr
during a trip to Tripoli in August 1978. Not only would a Lebanese boycott of
the Libya Summit embarrass the Arab League, it would also distance Lebanon from
other Arab countries, pulling it closer to Iran. This explains why Saudi Arabia
is angry with the Lebanese president.
Adding to the conflict
The Syrians, for their part, cannot understand why Sulaiman sought to jump-start
reconciliation talks in Beirut last week, and claim that the only item on
everybody's agenda is Hezbollah's weapons. This issue was decided at the Doha
Summit in 2008 and underlined in the policy statement produced by Hariri's
Cabinet in 2009. Adding to the conflict is the fact that when choosing who would
be present at the reconciliation talks, Sulaiman failed to invite two of Syria's
staunch allies former prime minister Omar Karameh, a heavyweight in the Sunni
community, and former president Emile Lahhoud whereas strong anti-Hezbollah
figures such as Samir Gagea were present at Baabda. The timing of the talks, the
nature of the agenda, and the choice of participants explains why pro-Syrian
elements in Lebanon are disappointed, to say the least, with the Lebanese
president.
Watching the crisis unfold is Aoun, who was never too pleased to see Sulaiman
win the presidency in 2008, believing that he was more worthy of the job.
Parties close to Aoun are pushing for a return to the plans originally made in
2008, whereby Sulaiman's tenure would be for two years only, rather than four.
There is no reason why such an idea shouldn't resurface today, they claim, given
that Sulaiman was originally a compromise candidate between nominees from March
14, who were unacceptable to Syria, and Aoun himself, who was then unacceptable
to the March 14 team.
If Aoun manages to find a constitutional formula to cut Sulaiman's term short by
two years, his tenure would end in May 2010, necessitating early presidential
elections. Were that to happen, Aoun would be the first person to declare his
candidacy, this time supported by Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and possibly, by Prime
Minister Sa'ad Hariri himself.
Failure
For his part, the Lebanese president finds himself torn between these
conflicting players. He has tried to please them all but, ultimately, pleased no
one. Why then did he unilaterally call for reconciliation talks, despite his
honest reputation as a ‘friend of the resistance'? Perhaps Sulaiman felt that
his aura needed a face-lift and believed that by assembling all parties at the
negotiating table he would project the image of a serious president, willing and
able to unite the Lebanese, rather than divide them. He had no intention,
clearly, of embarrassing Hezbollah. But by simply inviting several leaders, he
unintentionally gave momentum to those calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah.
The reconciliation talks currently under way will probably amount to nothing,
since nothing has changed since 2005. Hezbollah remains adamant that it will not
disarm so long as an inch of Lebanese territory is under occupation by Israel.
Christian players like Gemayel are still committed to keeping all arms under
control of the Lebanese state. Hariri remains committed to his Cabinet's policy
statement. Syria and Iran insist that Hezbollah's weapons are not up for
negotiation, a policy supported once again by Druze leader Walid Junblatt, who
is preparing for a visit to Damascus this month.
The only likely outcome of these talks is that the Lebanese president's already
shaky reputation will be further tarnished, reducing the trust his allies have
in him, and perhaps, shortening his stay at Baabda Palace.
**Sami Moubayed is editor-in-chief of Forward Magazine.
Missionary man in Damascus
Tony Badran, Now Lebanon
March 23, 2010
Robert Ford appears before a full committee hearing on his nomination to be
ambassador to Syria on March 16. (AFP Photo/Jewel Samad)
Last week, the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the
nomination of Robert Ford as the new ambassador to Syria. While Ford’s
confirmation still awaits a full Senate hearing, which has yet to be scheduled,
the nominee’s statements painted a problematic picture of what the Obama
administration’s Syria policy is premised on.
Despite repetition by administration officials that they are “under no
illusions” when approaching Syria, comments made at the hearing betrayed a line
of thinking focused on what the administration believes Syria’s “real interests”
to be, rather than what Syria sees them to be. This was evident in the
discussion of Syria’s relationship with Iran and Iraq.
The tone was set by committee chairman Senator John Kerry, a leading advocate
for a new Syria policy: “I believe [Syrian President Bashar al-Assad]
understands that his country’s long-term interests... are not well served by
aligning Syria with a revolutionary Shiite [sic] regime in Iran and its
terrorist clients.” This is the driving logic behind Obama’s Syria policy: the
old – and repeatedly failed – objective of prying Syria away from Iran.
Ford echoed this line in his prepared testimony: “[W]e must persuade Syria that
neither Iran nor Hezbollah shares Syria’s long-term strategic interest in…
peace.” Paradoxically, Ford followed this assertion by expressing uncertainty as
to “whether the Syrians are truly interested in negotiating that peace agreement
with Israel.”
Such reasoning betrays an inability, or an unwillingness, to understand Syrian
behavior spanning over 30 years; it also misconstrues the nature of the
Syrian-Iranian alliance. Tehran and Damascus’ relationship was never reactive
and defensive, as is commonly held – a tactical convergence against common
enemies such as Iraq. It was always based on the two states’ conception of their
role in the region and their shared desire to shape events in the Middle East to
their advantage.
For Assad, the alliance allows Syria to project its influence well beyond what
its real stature would allow, and to bolster its position vis-à-vis its Arab
rivals and the Arab Gulf States. These are critical aims for a second-tier
country that nevertheless regards itself as a primary Arab political player. The
alliance is even more valuable with an Iran on the verge of becoming a nuclear
power, therefore the dominant actor in the Gulf.
The idea that it is possible to split Syria from Iran has been in circulation
for three decades. For example, in 1986 to 1987, there was a concerted
international effort to entice Syria out of the alliance and into the so-called
“Arab mainstream”. At the time it was thought, much like today, that there was
ample reason for then-President Hafez al-Assad to accept the offer: Syria’s
economy was in dire straits, the country was diplomatically isolated and under
scrutiny for its role in the Hindawi affair, its relations with many Arab states
were hostile, and even its alliance with Iran was under some stress. Western
observers thought that Assad’s choice was an easy one to make, and in Syria’s
best interests. And yet to their befuddlement Assad refused. The Syrian-Iranian
alliance not only survived, it was consolidated during the subsequent two
decades.
Yet the West never learned that lesson. Similar stubborn certitude was evident
in Ford’s analysis of Syria’s relations with Iraq. The ambassador described how
the task of engagement with Syria was “to make clear its stake” in Iraq’s
stability. That position displayed confusion about Syrian motives. What Assad
does not want is destabilization of his own regime, which Syria’s export of
instability to Iraq since the American invasion in 2003 has permitted him to
avert. The costs of a policy of blackmail next door were never as high as the
potential benefits for Damascus.
In fact that is precisely why Syria has long been viewed as a regional
“spoiler”, as Ford described it in his hearing. Thus, it was paradoxical to hear
the ambassador say that he “do[es] not see how instability in the region serves
Syrian interests.” If political sabotage has been Syria’s modus operandi, as
indeed it has been for decades, then clearly it is the result of the regime’s
rational calculation of its interests.
This is made obvious by the purpose of engagement, as articulated by Ford. After
all, it is destabilization that affords Damascus relevance. Syria possesses no
inherent foundation for influence commensurate with its ambitions, such as
valuable natural resources. Had Syria not hosted Hamas leaders, supported
Al-Qaeda and the insurgency in Iraq, and transferred advanced weapons to
Hezbollah, would it have mattered politically at all? Destabilization is Syria’s
only foreign policy currency to force others to the bargaining table, or
capitulation.
Washington’s proposed approach to dealing with Syria seems almost tailor-made to
Assad’s advantage. Not only is it based on trying to convert Syria through
dialogue, it sets no timetable for engagement. Instead, as Ford put it, we are
to have “patience” and not expect “quick” changes in Syrian behavior. This
eliminates benchmarks and allows the Syrians to continue to play both sides
without any serious challenge. How does this “present Damascus with a clear
choice,” as Kerry stated? All it does is allow the Syrians to impose the agenda
and avenues of engagement.
Engaging Syria was always vaunted as an example of “hardnosed realism”. However,
realism stipulates that states rationally calculate and pursue their interests.
Instead, what we are seeing here is a claim that the United States knows Assad’s
“real” interests better than he does, therefore that the task of engagement is
to enlighten him, then convert him to this view. This isn’t realism; it’s
diplomacy defined as missionary work.
**Tony Badran is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.