http://www.annaharonline.com/HTD/OULA070513-7.HTM

Waiting for, and beleiving in, the mystical healing powers or the effectiveness of this International Tribunal is a big joke. I do not know why we are still giving it so much attention. Are those wishing Syria ill running so low on ammunition that they have nothing to cling to except the Tribunal Scare?

The overall tide in the area is the “redirection” of the Bush strategy as spelled out in the Baker-Hamilton report. No more, no less. The 180 degree change in the US policy is becoming more apparent -even if it is not being publically addmitted- by the day. The policy has copllapsed and a new one is being implemented. Period. For the new policy to succeed, Syria’s help is a cornerstone. The Republicans want out of Iraq ASAP and with the least dammage. Even if this means “dumping” recent local surrogates and “squeezing” strategic friends.

The Tribunal was used as a small tool of the old policy. Even if such a tribunal passes the UNSC vote, to appease France or to save face for the Bush Admin, it will have no serious value except as becoming an even smaller tool to be used for temporrary harrasment.

Those who are still expecting much from this charade are best advised to tone down their expectations. The wind is blowing from the opposite direction. A whole new chapter is being opened. Let us get down to the relly important things such as the overdue “squeezing” of the US strategic allies, or rather ally, being Israel. That is where the beef is. That is where the true future of peace in the area lies.

Let justice be done upon Syria.

وكشفت اوساط ديبلوماسية واسعة الاطلاع لـ”النهار” امس عن حوار ساخن تخلل الاتصال الذي اجراه الامين العام للامم المتحدة بان كي-مون الاربعاء الماضي مع الرئيس السوري بشار الاسد الذي اسمع بان كلاماً حاداً فيه “تهديد باشعال المنطقة من بحر قزوين الى المتوسط”.
If this is true,”Asad said sharp words,in it there is threat”, this remind us of hot words,and voicing a threat to Hariri before his murder, if it is true then the Hariri encounter is correct.
before we get to a conclusion,we have to verify.

http://freesyria.wordpress.com/2007/05/13/michel-kilo-gets-only-3-years/

The same people are claiming the same words from Asad,(The Harreri clans).

The U.S.wont allow anything to be announced that condemn syria cause the americans need the syrians in Iraq. Its Sarkozi roll now to try to face the US.

Dear Dr. Landis,
In his latest speech, Mr. Assad was clearly stating that American withdrawal from Iraq is one of his corner policies. Remembering that Syria has opened an embassy in Iraq and has acknowledged the current government of Iraq makes me think if Assad has stepped beyond limits to tell the Iraqi government what to do. We know the Iraqi government is begging the American to stay. This contradiction might bring him ills to his country, if not short term, it could be on the long term. The second point which I always wondered about is, how come the American does not play it smart and let the Assad get into the mud of Iraq by asking him to take their replace in some area and gradually withdraw. This way the American could hit two birds in one stone.

Landis, did not Kilo talk to Joe Pace??? don’t you have a bad interview for him to pusblish along with the news of his sentence? why the Silence????????????????????? you were so eager to report on Kamal and Bunni….may be a secret photo of Kilo shaking Bayanouni’s hands will be what you are looking for before you can do anything!

Can any one translate the Elaph article for our non arabic reading viewers?

Fares,

Prof. Landis is out of town until May 17. He’ll probably post on Kilo when he gets the chance.

K
So posting on kilo need a chance…
cowards

K, it seems like many of the loud gloating voices are on vacation as well. Are they tired of discussing Islamic philosophies??? or they can’t defend the prisoners any more?

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&article_id=82173&categ_id=17

Are the other admins on vacation or out of town as well? how convenient!!!!!!!!!!!!Alex hope you can see the !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently torture is not only for locals
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6651793.stm

Can anyone elaborate on what this dangerous evidence is?

Apparently torture is not only for locals

Fares who is there left to condemn that in times when it is now standard behaviour for USA (and naturally for Israel) and EU has given a silent approval to USA’s new prisoner treatment “doctrines”. Can GB or USA condemn what happened to Mr Hibell? How could they?

On the other hand the prisoner said in the article
“I was interrogated and told that if I admitted that I was a terrorist and I was going to Iraq then I would be freed.

Aren’t Syrians doing exactly what Americans want then to do? “Filtering” foreign fighters who want to go to Iraq.

Personally I see it as “amusing” when USA is openly supporting opposition groups (violent and non violent) which try to overthrow to present regimes around the world and then denies that others can’t do the same. Well such support would be understandable if the aims would be creating real democracies (= such democracies which the majority of the in the target countries want), but we all know that democracy is the real issue. Any regime for example in Syria which would follow USA’s “orders” would be tolerated, no matter of the democracy level and Syrians human rights or torture in prisons. We have seen that happen tens of times in the past.

It is difficult to give any credibility to your comments Fares if you publicly “encourage” in your blog USA to liberate Syria from the present regime. Can any real patriot make such demands even if he hates the present regime of his mother country? Aren’t the learnings of history and the total incompetence what we now see in Iraq that USA is not an option for creating democracy or increasing human rights? In Finland those Finnish people who before WW2 wanted / urged Stalin to come and liberate Finland were seen as traitors and conspirators. Also by the huge majority of Finnish communists (most of those traitors never dared to step on Finnish soil, even after Stalin’s victory). I suppose the absolute majority of Syrians feel the same towards those “opposition” Syrians who operate with US money and support USA’s goal (what ever those are in the end).

Dr. Landis said: “getting moderate Arabs—Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia—to align with Israel and turn decisively against Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah.”

Dear Dr. Landis:

I don’t think you really meant “moderate” did you? I think a better term would have been “US supported”. In no way or shape can Saudi Arabia be considered “moderate”.

SimoHurtta, you fail to realize that Mr Hibell was just residing in Syria and was not going to Iraq, why would he bring his wife and kid if he was going to Iraq!!!!!!!The US did not ask Syria to arrest people left and right and if they did and Syria obeyed does it not make them a puppet of the americans???

I am not calling for the US to overthrow the regime or invade Syria, I am calling for them to not give it any more support like they did the last 40 years.

Is your name Simon Akiki btw, I might have met you in Finland!

Please enjoy some laughter in case you need to cheer up
http://freesyria.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/please-vote-on-the-funniest-kiss-ass-comment/

Saw nothing in L’Orient Le-Jour or in the Paris papers confirming the Elaph scoop.

L’Orient-Le Jour dispatch now reporting that Siniora has sent the UN Security Council a new request for an international tribunal.

Meanwhile, I see that Israel has returned to provoking the UNIFIL forces as its warplanes nettle Swedish and German naval units.

Is your name Simon Akiki btw, I might have met you in Finland!

No it is not and we have certainly not met. Actually I have never met any Syrian. I know some Palestinians and Jews. I am a “pure” protestant Finn. I as millions other Europeans try to figure out what is happening in Middle East. It is my reason to follow this excellent blog.

I am not calling for the US to overthrow the regime or invade Syria, I am calling for them to not give it any more support like they did the last 40 years.

You say: “I am not sure the US is interested in solving the middle east problems, but if they ever are, removing Assad and his network and letting people in Syria breath would be a good start.“

I do not see any comments about “no support”. You directly ask USA to remove Assad and his network. USA “removed” Saddam as you remember. How has USA supported Syria for the last 40 years? Most of that 40 years USA has not supported Syrian regime. Occasionally when it has benefited USA it has supported the regime. How on earth do you think that USA would succeed in removing the present regime in other ways as what we did see in Iraq? USA has tried for years to get an obedient puppet to Damascus with sanctions, political pressure etc.

SimoHurtta, you fail to realize that Mr Hibell was just residing in Syria and was not going to Iraq, why would he bring his wife and kid if he was going to Iraq!!!!!!

Do not be naive Fares. Of course I understand it. My point was can GB or USA on nation level condemn this event, when they do the same in their own countries and all around the world. Of course torture is wrong if it is done by Syrians, Israelis or Americans. Actually torture done by so called democratic countries is even more wrong because then they also loose their moral authority. I think that even you as a “true patriot and human right activist” understand this moral dilema.

SimoHurta, there are millions of ways to remove Assad from power if the US and Israel truly wanted to…removing Saddam by force was not for the sake of removing Saddam because it could have been done in any other way but they wanted to be in Iraq for multiple reasons including being very stupid. Invading Syria won’t benefit anyone because it has nothing but problems.

The problem with the US support for Syria is that it is only to keep the oppressive rulers in power (who pretend to be fighting the global imperialism) while the people pay the price of fighting (miserable economy and people being brainwashed and for what???)

SimoHurta, there are millions of ways to remove Assad from power if the US and Israel truly wanted to…removing Saddam by force was not for the sake of removing Saddam because it could have been done in any other way but they wanted to be in Iraq for multiple reasons including being very stupid. Invading Syria won’t benefit anyone because it has nothing but problems.

Fares your battering is not very convincing. USA and Israel have only one possible major way to change the regime and that way is violent (organized coup or military attack and occupation) and undemocratic. Israel can’t put moral pressure on Syria or establish any commercial sanctions. USA has tried those methods for a long time without success. Millions of ways to replace the regime – indeed. 🙂

Why on earth do you want USA and Israel to change the regime in your mother country? Replace the government with what – with people like you? God help Syria and Syrians. If Syrians want to change the regime it is up to them to decide how they do it. It is nobody else’s responsibility or task.

All the regimes USA has “replaced” during the past decades have had extremely low level in respect of human rights and democracy. Israel has certainly not spread democracy and its human rights records are absolutely the lowest in the world among countries which call themselves democratic. Isn’t that what you see happen in Palestine and Iraq enough proof of that, that USA and Israel are not real beacons of democracy. Actually both have severe problems with their internal democracy. USA’s electoral system’s performance is a “joke” and Israel is an aggressive democracy for a religious “tribe” but not for anybody else.

The problem with the US support for Syria is that it is only to keep the oppressive rulers in power (who pretend to be fighting the global imperialism) while the people pay the price of fighting (miserable economy and people being brainwashed and for what???)

What support USA gives to Syria? Are nuts Fares. My “newspapers” tell that USA destabilizes Syria with all possible means. Even wanting Israel to attack Syria.

SimoHurta, you are not finnish, you are a baathist Syrian…no use talking to you because you keep twisting what I say….

Does not look as imminent as they would like it to be!!
“Orient le jour 15 mai 2007
Une résolution sur le tribunal n’est pas imminente
NEW YORK
….
De son côté, M. Karel de Gucht, ministre belge des Affaires étrangères, qui accompagne à New York le roi Albert II et la reine de Belgique, a indiqué à L’Orient-Le Jour, à l’issue de sa rencontre avec Ban Ki-moon et Zalmay Khalilzad, représentant permanent des États-Unis auprès de l’ONU, avoir « très brièvement parlé de l’éventualité d’une résolution portant notamment sur le tribunal Hariri ».
« En ce qui concerne, le recours au chapitre VII de la Charte de l’ONU, nous verrons dans les semaines à venir comment approcher cette question et comment y apporter la meilleure solution », a-t-il ajouté.
Par ailleurs, un diplomate de l’ONU a indiqué à L’Orient-Le Jour qu’« il est prématuré de parler d’une réunion du Conseil de sécurité sur la question du tribunal ». Selon lui, « la lettre de Siniora devra être étudiée par les différentes capitales ». « Nous sommes en consultations constantes avec certains membres du Conseil de sécurité et avec les autorités libanaises pour la mise en place d’une option possible dans le cadre d’une résolution sur la question du tribunal. Notre approche doit être prudente et bien étudiée avant de nous adresser à la Russie, la Chine, l’Afrique du Sud, l’Indonésie et le Qatar », a encore indiqué ce diplomate. « Rien n’est encore imminent, a-t-il poursuivi. Nous avons encore quelques jours avant de décider. Mais en tout cas, pas cette semaine. »

Syrian Regime exist because the US wants them to…I don’t want the US to replace them, I want the US to take the support that you never see away from them. In the 80s a lot of coups failed because the CIA alerted the regime about them so either you are ignorant about Syrian history or you are a Syrian agent pretending to rally around Syrian causes the baathist way

Syria would have never gone to Lebanon without American green light and Blessing, they got out as soon as that light changed.

Don’t get fooled by appearances