http://www.dawn.com/2006/12/09/int16.htm
ISG study worries Lebanon's anti-Syrian lobby By Tom Perry BEIRUT: The call by an elite US panel for Washington to talk to Damascus has left Beirut's anti-Syrian leaders wondering if their US ally will permit Syria to reassert itself in Lebanon in exchange for help over Iraq.The Iraq Study Group, led by former US Secretary of State James Baker, has proposed that the United States abandon its policy of shunning both Syria and Iran, accused of fomenting Iraq violence, to prevent "a slide towards chaos" there. It is not clear if all the panel's ideas will be adopted by US President George W. Bush, who holds up Lebanon as a model of democracy and denounces Syria as a safe haven for terrorists. Bush on Thursday again gave strong backing to Lebanese prime minister, Fouad Siniora, and said Syria was trying to destabilise the government in Beirut. But the public support might gave way to private concessions to Syria, some Lebanese fear, as Washington casts around for ways to extricate itself from vicious conflict in Iraq Syria would want the US to concede it has a role in Lebanon where it held greater sway until Western pressure helped force out its troops last year. "The need for Syria to help pacify Iraq will give the Syrians the chance to assert their influence in Lebanon," said Hilal Khashan, a political scientist at the American University of Beirut. "It wouldn't surprise me if trying to improve the situation in Iraq would imply making certain concessions in Lebanon." Lebanon's fate seems already to have been bargained away, wrote prominent commentator Talal Salman in his As-Safir daily, referring to the Iraq report. "Lebanese leaders must take note that the deal has almost been done above their heads." The anti-Syrian coalition in government, known as the March 14 movement, came to office after the Syrian withdrawal. With the support of Washington and Paris, it has made combating Syrian influence a priority. The anti-Syrian leaders are trying to push on with plans for an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of Rafik al-Hariri -- the former premier whose slaying in February 2005 they blame on Damascus. Syria denies involvement. But the March 14 coalition is facing a fierce challenge by the opposition led by Hezbollah, a group backed by both Syria and Iran, which has paralysed the heart of Beirut for the past week to push its demand for a power of veto in government. Hezbollah, anti-Syrian leaders say, aims to restore Syrian control in Lebanon and to derail the international tribunal.---Reuters +++ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
