News Round Up (Dec 9, 2005)
Syria Denies Any Secret Contacts With Israel according to SANA
U.N. ends questioning Syrians over Hariri killing
U.N. investigators completed questioning five Syrian officials in Vienna on Wednesday in connection with the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri this year.
Mehlis Report Sees Syria as 'Uncooperative', Recommends International Tribunal
An upcoming U.N. report into Rafik Hariri's murder will accuse Syria of violating its commitments by not cooperating with the probe and will recommend the creation of an international court to try the perpetrators, An Nahar reported Thursday.Saniora Requests Arab Help in Demarcating Lebanon-Syria Borders
The report by Detlev Mehlis would not be altered by recent testimonies by senior Syrian officials, who have been questioned in Vienna, diplomats said.
They said the report will include three main elements: Strong evidence that Syria has been uncooperative, thus violating its commitments and pledges; a recommendation for the questioning of Syrian and Lebanese officers and politicians; and the creation of an international court to try suspects in the Hariri murder.
Quoting a diplomatic document, senior U.S. diplomats, said that as a consequence to the Syrian stance, the Security Council might impose sanctions on Syrian officials: the president, members of the Syrian Parliament, the prime minister, the defense minister and the foreign minister. Under the sanctions, Security Council member states will be prohibited from hosting these officials and their assets will be frozen.
In the meantime, Turkey strongly rejected allegations made by a Syrian al-Qaida suspect that he was bribed by the family of Rafik Hariri to give a false testimony in the murder of the former premier.
Saniora praised the help of the Arab, Muslim and international communities in the aftermath of Hariri's assassination, but called for more efforts to help Lebanon "preserve its sovereignty and independence."Algeria prevents one-sided statement of UN Security Council
"Today we request your help in pressuring Israel to withdraw from the Lebanese Shabaa Farms, release all detainees … and halt all land, sea and space violations…"
"We also request your help to accelerate efforts … to demarcate the border with Syria, including the occupied Shabaa Farms in order to solve this mystery which Israel uses as a pretext for its occupation. We also request your support for the international probe and the creation of an international tribunal in the murder of Hariri…"
The US failed to get a statement to the press passed by the UN Security Council which would have condemned the recent bomb assault in Netanya, Israel and would have called on Syria to close the offices of Islamic Jihad. The statement, proposed by US Ambassador John Bolton was opposed by Algeria whose Ambassador, Abdullah Baali said he had suggested a meeting of diplomats to discuss the statement and review it, but John Bolton had refused.
Geagea Says International Probe into Mass Graves Only Way
The Lebanese Bloggers write onKhaddam: Assets And The Truth
Al-Siyasah newspaper released an article today citing sources which claim that the former Syrian President's Deputy, Abdulhalim Khaddam, had all his assets in Syria transferred to the government coffers. Therefore, Khaddam has allegedly lost all his possessions in his country.
This move has come about, as the article claims, due to the Syrian regime's conviction that Khaddam has provided Mehlis and Jacques Chirac with all of what he knows about the Hariri assassination, including who is involved in the planning and execution, by name, on the 6th of September 2005.
Lysandra Ohrstrom writes in the Daily Star about the new problems Americans are having trying to get visas on the border from Lebanon. "American students refused entry to Syria."
Maureen Thomas from England sent me this note about Kamal Labwani, the Syrian opposition member who was recently arrested after returning from the US where he met with high government officials.
Dear Joshua,
I thought you might be interested in the following formal written statement made by our Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, to Sir Menzies Campbell on 6th December.
Regards, Maureen Thomas
Dear Menzies,
Thank you for your letter of 10 November about the recent arrest of Dr Kamal al-Labwani on his return to Syria.
We share your concern over the recent detention of Dr al-Labwani. It is not acceptable that anyone should be arrested for simply airing his views on foreign platforms.
Dr al-Labwani has been charged with “compromising state prestige” – an offence that carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. No trial date has yet been set. He does have access to his defence team who have filed a writ of habeas corpus. Our Embassy in Damascus is in touch with Dr al-Labwani’s defence team.
Our Ambassador in Damascus has raised Dr Labwani’s case with the Syrian authorities, and, in our capacity as the local presidency of the EU, led calls for his early release. We will continue to monitor developments closely and stand ready to take further action.
We already have contacts with a range of groups and individuals pressing for economic and political reform in Syria. We will seek to build a relationship with Dr al-Labwani’s group but are conscious of the benefits and risks that contact will bring to the group.
Yours,
Jack
Forwarded by
Ben Williams - Liberal Democrat Whips
Secretary to the Parliamentary Party
Nibras Kazimi writes about the "The Mehlis Mess" on December 6, 2005 claiming that Mehlis' investigation has collapsed. This doesn't seem to be correct as
Michael Young is unusually critical of Hariri in his op-ed: "Number one, or just a fortunate son?" He wants Hariri to come back from his self-imposed exile and face the dangers of uniting Lebanon and taming Hizbullah and Syrian influence in Lebanon.
The new ICG report on Lebanon makes clear that the country is becoming ever more fragmented due to the strains of the Mehlis investigation, conflict with Syria, and impending financial and political reforms. There is a good selection of revealing quotes from the report at Lebanese Bloggers.
Syria: Looking East
5 December 2005
Oxford Business Group
While international media coverage of Syria has lately concentrated on Damascus's alleged involvement in the assassination of Rafik Hariri, Syria itself has been getting on with business - and in particular, the business of oil.
In the past two weeks, international interest in Syria's petroleum sector has grown, with India and China being the leading lights.
While Asia's top two oil consumers have been bitter rivals recently, as their respective state-owned oil companies have competed to gain access to reserves around the world, the two giants have now joined forces to try and gain a major stake in Syria's energy industry.
On November 26, China National Petroleum (CNPC) and India's Oil and Natural Gas (ONGC) announced they would be among the contenders for Petro-Canada's 38% interest in the al-Furat gas and oil venture. Currently operated by Royal Dutch Shell, the venture has 36 fields spread over three concession areas, with a total of 220 wells, accounting for nearly half of Syria's oil output.
In September, Petro-Canada announced it was planning to withdraw from its Syrian operations. A spokesperson for the Canadian corporation told reporters back then that the company was seeking to unload its stake in the ageing fields as falling output was not in line with a strategy to shift to long-life assets.
While CNPC and ONGC may face strong competition in the bidding for the stake in al-Furat, with up to 16 other potential buyers expressing interest in the estimated $1bn asset, the partners in the Chinese-Indian joint venture have both been aggressive in the international marketplace of late. A further boost to the cashed up corporations' chances is Petro-Canada's hopes of a quick sale, with the present owners wanting a deal done before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, another Indian firm, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC), is also looking to buy into Syria early next year when Damascus opens bids for some as-yet undeveloped blocks.
Syria itself is also working to invest in its own energy industry, moving away from oil to natural gas as a means for electricity generation.
In late November, Damascus was granted a 200m euro loan through the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) for the construction of a gas-fired power station at Deir Azzour. The funding for the plant in the country's east was the second such loan provided to Syria in the past year, with a similar amount being granted by FEMIP in November 2004 for another gas-fired station at Deir Ali.
China's ties with Syria took a further step forwards at the beginning of December when Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah al-Dardari announced that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with CNPC for the construction of a refinery with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day (bpd).
The licence for the $1.2bn refinery, to be built at Deir ez-Zour in eastern Syria, could be issued by the end of the year or soon after, al-Dardari said while on a trip to London to drum up international investment. Damascus was also in talks with Russia about setting up another refinery, with an estimated cost of $2.4bn, the minister said.
According to al-Dardari, Syria was looking to attract some $6bn in private investment this year, with up to 30% being foreign direct investment, most of which will be in the country's energy sector.
Currently, Syria has a production capacity of about 400,000 bpd, with exports accounting for 250,000 bpd, which takes in refined products such as heating oil. However, as indicated by Petro-Canada, its long-term prospects, and its mapped reserves are dwindling.
Despite this, neither India nor China seem deterred in making long-term investments in Syria.
Speaking at a meeting of oil producers from North and Central Asia in New Delhi in late November, India's Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said that China and India were also considering bidding for new exploration blocks, as well as co-operating in the operation of existing fields.
Syria, Russia sign gas deals worth $370M from UPI
Syria's Market Reforms Dent Socialist Model "Officials say $8 billion of Arab, foreign and Syrian immigrant capital had been earmarked for projects since January, more than the country received in the previous decade. ... After 40 years of socialist planning, Syria's economy is opening up. This year, the government eased state planning, privatized state enterprises and opened markets to imports and foreign investment." Reuters: Wed Dec 7
Katherine Zoepf writes in the NY Times about the new boutique hotels which are springing up in old Damascus and Aleppo: A taste of Syria's past in discreet splendor , December 8, 2005
posted by Joshua Landis @ 12/09/2005 04:37:00 AM
96 comments
links to this post
96 Comments:
Dr. Landis,
With regards to you interesting link to the Rolling Stones article in the previous post, I could not help myself from thinking that Bashar would do anything to hire this guy right now. May be you ought to mail the story to the palace. I am sure Syria would be willing to double his hourly rate of over $300. Given how badly the country’s PR (Bouthaina Shaaban & Co.) Has been, Mr. Rendon could be the answer to the country’s poor predicament.
No amount of help would could help Bouthaina Shaaban - what a shame
New Boutique Hotel in Damascus, financed by European investors, the hotel comprises 65 rooms each modeled as exact replica of the torture cells of the famous Baathist jails like that in Darra and Tudmour, that are also financed by the Europeans.
Mehlis says will submit Hariri report next week !
BEIRUT, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Detlev Mehlis, the chief investigator into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, said on Friday he will present his findings to the United Nations Security Council on Dec. 13.
"It will be just a follow-up to the main report ... I think it will be sometime to go until the final report," the German prosecutor told reporters in Beirut.
"In the past months we have gathered a considerable amount of evidence as we pointed out in our last report and will point out in the next report. I am happy with the evidence we have."
He said it was up to a tribunal to decide whether the evidence was strong enough for a conviction.
Chief U.N. spokesman Stephane Durjarric said the report would be distributed to Security Council members on Monday in preparation for Mehlis' presentation at a formal meeting on Tuesday.
Mehlis, in an interim report in October, implicated senior Syrian security officials and their Lebanese allies in the Feb. 14 killing of Hariri and 22 others near Beirut's seafront.
Syria has strongly denied any role in the murder but the report prompted a unanimous Security Council resolution threatening Damascus with unspecified action if it failed to cooperate with the investigation.
Asked how he would evaluate Syria's cooperation, Mehlis said: "If I would answer this question truthfully, the Security Council will kill me on Tuesday afternoon.
"We are an instrument of the Security Council ... they deserve to be informed first."
Mehlis also confirmed he would step down at the end of his six-month mandate by mid-December, but said he would help the commission until the United Nations names his successor if the Security Council agreed next week to extend the inquiry.
Lebanon has asked the United Nations earlier this month to renew the commission's mandate for six months beyond Dec. 15. The inquiry was officially launched in June.
================
welcome back!
I've just read the first-rate and courageous commentary by Michael Young on the young Mr Harari(link provided by Dr Josh above).
Bottom line: When will ANY power figure in the Middle East face the fact that the mechanics of constructing and sustaining genuine democracy involves serious hard slog and sweat, is often boring and nothing to do with being (or becoming) wealthy.
Prancing around, putting your face out there on posters and having public meetings with "important" persons is useless and unsustainable unless linked to a solid foundation of real institutions, real government, real systems.
Maybe young Harari will prove to be not that different from Bashar -sliding his backside onto a hereditary seat without qualifications, experience or natural aptitude. And not smart enought to know he isn't smart enough.
Maybe you're right active listner, but the Sunni community in Lebanon can change its leader, which is not the case with Bashar. Moreover, Saad did not do any political mistake for now.
Before we get any chuckles about how my post above describes George W. Bush, let's discard such fast-food takeaway style of analysis.
Here's the test: if you replaced any modern democracy's leader with Mickey Mouse, what would happen? Nothing, the solid infrastructure ship would keep sailing on course, not much would be altered no matter who was at the top.
And if you replaced Bashar Asad with Mickey Mouse? Answer: It would be a massive improvement!
That's the difference.
Tomorrow (Dec 10th) is when Mr. Dardari promised to deliver a wide-ranging economic reform package. I for one would be anxiously waiting. A while back, I predicted to see reforms that would help explain the reasons behind the recent Arab investments in the country. Before one comments any further on this subject, perhaps it is best to wait for our new economic szar to show his hands tomorrow.
It is hard to imagine that all those world renowned press agencies and newspapers will be telling a lie!!!! “and only SANA is telling the truth: That Syria has not, as what some mass media have reported made secret contacts with Israel to jointly run the Syrian land Golan heights, illegally occupied by Jews, and to wipe out Hizbullah” as those Bedouin human scums and Africans suggested to him. President Assad will be making yet another serious mistake, thinking these Jews are going to make a deal with him and Syria, when he is the weakest leader of the poorest of countries. A country that is militarily and financially at the rock bottom. Countries such as Israel, and Jews in particular, throughout history, usually seeks and pursue peace when the adversarial country or people are strong and powerful militarily, economically and governmentally. Under these conditions, traitorous Jews develop fear, insecurity and the worry about undermining the growth in the commercial section. Otherwise, as history proved over and over again, they will just cheat the adversary nation or people and rob them of any social, moral, economic and legal value they have, and traitorously make a deal with others to bring their demise.
It is sad to see President Assad pleading with rag head Bedouins and Africans to get him out of difficult situations he and his advisers gets into. It is very offending to Syrians to see him in this position and there is nothing more we like than to see the President of Syria to be the leader that all the region will come to him for advise, and President Assad in no exception to these leaders that Syrians would like to see in that position.
When President Assad needs help and some good advise, he knows that there is someone he can rely on, all he has to do is make contact, he is always ready to help and give sound advise. President Assad is aware of the technological resources available to him, resources that will make Israel and the world’s and not Syria beg for peace on Syria’s terms.
We hope President Assad is up to the task and that SANA this time telling the truth. Hope he will stop making fool of himself and Syria, stop handing Syria’s sovereignty and interest to nations that all they wish is harm and evil for Syria. Syrians everywhere, even the most opposed to his domestic rule will support President Assad in his steadfastness. We are Syrians, not fucking, low life, bend over ragheads Bedouins and Africans.
INNA SOURIA LA HAFIZOUHA ASSAD’on
A For SYRIA,
Are you suggesting that Bashar should not be signing a peace treaty with Israel at the present time (assuming of course that Israel is itself willing to do so in the first place)?
Alawites for Syria? I think you should take a course in how to express yourself. I did not understand a thing from what you said. Are you pro-regime or anti-regime? You sound confused, or trying to confuse. Which one?
Alawites for Syria is confused Mokhabart, or trying to be one.
((INNA SOURIA LA HAFIZOUHA ASSAD’on))
Dude.. What is this? you must be kidding right !!
Assad can't even save his own skin now. GOT IT..
Love it, that is exactly what I wanted to accomplish. Confuse the fuckers and get the Message clear to President Assad. And some moron think I need to take courses.
I may add. President Assad, your problems is not with America, not with the Jews, not with the brainless Neo-con-artists, not with the Euro-Peons and for sure not with Mehlis or the Bedouin human scum’s in Jordan, Arabia or those African in Africa. Your problem is with the Syrian people and that is it. Work on that problem and fuck all the rest. The people of Syria ( you know who), not just Alawites, will help you resolve all these scummy, parasites that are diminishing you and Syria into submission. Will help you introduce and rule under reformed system and will help you build the sophisticated armada, on the cheap, that will make clown Sharon think twice about harassing you, forget about the Jews in Israel and Washington, they will be trembling when you speak just they used to tremble when Brezenev used to throw some bone chow to them. Take the right road, it is not too late, everything can be fixed and corrected. Make a contact and get the whole scoop.
Don't worry about shit like secret meetings with Syrian oppositions in Germany and other places. They are just a farce to harras you.
hahaha
Ok, mr. AFS.
Now go and continue your bark at the door of your friend, Ali Douba.
JAM
I think the kid Bashar Assad knew who to choose as the advisor. You are doing good. Continue your barking.
Amen to than, Alawites for Syria hit the nail right on the head. No more Zionist/ Jewish scams and games. Go for it Bashar, unite all Syrians behind you.
Joseph Ali, You are right, that is why he is doing sooooo verie good. He gave the world thi middle finger. Bush will go soon and Bashar will stay our leader eternally. too verie much dreamers in this coment.
Talks with Israel. Deals with Washington. Bashar is ready to trade with the devil to save himself and his regime. My suspicion is that niether Israel nor America is ready for any deals. Things have reached the point of no return. The present Lebanon and Bashar's Syria cannot coexist anymore.
Washington has simply given up on Bashar. His tactics of scaring the world that Islamists are waiting in the wings is not resonating any longer in the White House. The Harriri investigation is not close to being over and Bashar knows he faces a steep uphill battle for survival.
Those international reports about Bashar's regime talking to Israel, like the reports of $ billions of investment in Syria, to me don't read like solid information - more like hearsay and speculation that could blow away in a strong wind.
Also, let's get real. What's the shelf life and quality of any deals done by the Asad regime?
Every single foreign land transaction has been associated with buying agricultural land without rights to build on. In other words, they are bought on the cheap. It would be interesting if the laws changed in a way that would allow agriculturally designated lands to be built on. With such "reforms" these transactions will start to look very profitable indeed.
A wild assumption of course. But were it to come true, these so-called Arab investors will start to look pretty savvy with strong ears and contacts to match!
Oh. theese dreeamer posters heer. WOW. EHSANI: "Bashar knows he faces a steep uphill battle for survival." Active: "Also, let's get real. What's the shelf life and quality of any deals done by the Asad regime?"
wht are you talkin about? this is a joke, mother of alljokes. How do you expect Bashar not to survive? strange and verie ignorent persons. Amirica, is broke finansially and army wise. bashar gave em good lesson in Iraq. how possibly amirica can go to war at bashar? this is out. and how you plan to remove bashar, by throweng candies at him, meybe gogo dancers. HAA, it is ajoke. a big joke. do you know of opositions groups that have army? maybe amirica training syrians exiled now for that case. HAA. you think maybe like bush think that musleman brothers have power in syria hehehehe. tell me how you can remove our beloved bashar and his exsellent goovernemnt from our beloved syria? how? , hust how? please.
oooh, you all shut up now. soo quiat her. noone nkows that. mabe think amirica was going to do free syria to them and they sit comfortable in chair typing here.
HAA mabe farid gadri army oh yes.
on no? nonno just bashar is going to standup and say i quit..i quit...i quit. here is shawkat.. here is maher.. take all my mony and here are the keys for syria, give it to israel please, please leave me and my wife alone. get real you stupid people please. get 60.000 man armed then bark in here. give warning untematum. shit.
SNE, Relax.
Of course it is not going to be easy. In one of my previous comments, I alluded to the fact that it took 150,000 American soldiers to remove Saddam’s regime. After 40 years in power, these regimes start to perfect the art of survival. They learn every trick in the book as Bashar makes it abundantly clear. Having said this, you get the feeling that times have changed and that Syria’s Baath days are over. The world has changed in ways that Bashar and Co. have not understood appropriately yet. Tough security counsel resolutions followed by an international tribunal and the inevitable collapse of the Syrian Pound as a result can do significant harm to the regime. It may not be enough. I stick to my statement that the regime faces an uphill battle for survival. How it will play out is impossible for anyone to know.
Would love to hear your vision of the future now that you are done criticising us and our ignorance.
SNE I don't want to trade my dream for your no-end-in-sight nightmare.
But who said anything about rescue and conquest? My vision is one of regime implosion. An undignified failure, rotting and rusting and running on empty. Like what happened to the Soviets.
SNE, you have strong feelings and brainpower. Why not using it to think "What next?"
EHSANI2, you are obviously a Zionist. I mean how do you justify sanction on Syria and the Syrian pound devaluation. Who you think will suffer the most? The poorest of people! And it is a fact that Russia will never okay sanctions, they said out loud they will veto it.
Sanctions, impoverishing, weakening, humiliating, degrading Syria, infringing on Syrian sovereignty in such a way as to hand over Shawkat and Maher among others. Belittling the Syrian President Bashar Assad. These are all the wishes and dreams of not even Americans, just the pure and evil Zionists. Read the Clean Break paper: rolling back Syria, etc, etc.
President Assad should be very cautious of any Israeli advances for peace agreement at this point. Some people are masters at this game and have repeatedly played it for centuries, driving a person, a company, a country to the ground and then presenting or forcing settlement on the least favorable terms for the victim. He should never listen to such ill advise from non-Syrians. How would the Arabs and Moslems feel if President Assad were to negotiate a peace with Israel offering in return the Saudi Oil fields or the Aqsa Mosque instead of giving up Syrian Holy land, the Golan.
There is no such a thing as uphill battle for the survival of President Assad regime. President Assad government is not threatened in any way. It takes military force to threaten his rule, a lot of force. President Assad is not going any place soon outside of the Syrian Presidential Palace. Trust me on this one.
As for the other commenter here. Some very important points raised by Alawites for Syria comments. I don’t know why everyone was so hostile to it. But he has very important points made. Bashar problem is really only with the people not outsiders. If he to hold steadfastness against Zionist plans, stop human right abuses and agree to bring reforms to Syria, Syrians will support him and his government all the way including I am sure most serious and real opposition groups and personalities. We will always be ready to support president Assad under those terms.
We will provide the support necessary because like so many Syrians we understand that U.S. foreign policy have miserably failed in the Middle East. American officials are simply too weak to confront the Zionist planners and their plan for the region, that mainly benefit Israel. American policy makers and administration officials simply could not stand steadfast to implement only those policies that are of interest and to the benefit of America and American. In each new plan, the Zionists simply took over and twisted it’s terms to fit the Clean Break scenario or as I call it the combined Petro-Zionist planners plan. President Bush Middle East initiative and vision is simply relegated to the ineffective State Department programs such as the partnerships handouts, which in fact more than 85% of it was handed out to non-indigenous NGO’s. It turned into cash cow too.
If the United States and Bush administration were to make a serious effort to bring the vision of President Bush to fruition in the Middle East, it will have to take policies and make plans that are totally against the Petro-Zionist plans. It would have to direct it’s energy not into making secret meetings with some Syrian oppositions that will likely will support the Petro-Zionist plan or too ignorant to see the fact or understand what really behind these plans. It need to make a comprehensive plan that will include and invite all those that wish to participate into some congress or entity that will have to review those American plans, make an agreement, set an agenda and a working platform that is based on realistic expectation and scenarios.
Demanding from selected oppositions groups and individuals to peacefully remove President Assad from power in Damascus is not a serious plan, it is a hogwash. Maybe some enjoy the cash funding and will play along for as long as it will take, simply because they are in the opposition business and not really trying to be a National Leaders with agenda and platform that can seriously get to the end of the tunnel.
The end of the tunnel should be convincing President Assad of the need to ignore those Arab bodies of his, focus on Syria and the problem facing Syrians, and take care of resolving these matters that are of concerns to them. Soft landing reforms not as he wanted it in 10 years but in 10 months. If he needs help, many should help.
Those who are dreaming of implosion are having wild and fantastic dream, it will never happen. SSPRS made extensive studies and scenarios and none worked out for implosion, our modeling even predicted this Mehlis outcome very accurately and we are sure of the next outcome. In fact for those who are dreaming of implosion, SSPRS modeling predict that President Assad and Syria will be much stronger after 3-5 and 10 years of sanctions, socially, economically and militarily.
What is missing in the implosion scenario in Syria that was present in the former Soviet Union and Communist block countries are many important elements. The masses were ready and rebelling, unafraid from killing, incarceration and torture ( which did not happen) because the Communist destroyed the ethnicity value and were able to mold the countries into single unit with equal self interests for the masses. In Syria, President Assad were able to superficially eliminate the division but in fact it designed it so cleverly and ruled by it. Another element is Western supports for that implosion, from Radio and television beams to cash funneled to the masses and corrupt official to stay home and not act. Support to dissidents in every level and ways. From Congress and parliaments enactments to Foreign embassies and States offices were all geared and directed to support the oppositions and defectors. So many other factors, none whatsoever is present today. In fact, all evidences points to the opposite and hints at Petro-Zionist plan that a triumphant Syrian masses on top or standing in front of Syrian Government tanks.
Unfortunately as some commenter here said. As long as Syria is having this rickety dickitty military defense status, no one will care about it’s trouble, just the vultures will grow around its corpse.
President Assad can in one hour change the fate of Syria or the U.S. Congress can change that fate in a year. Otherwise, there is a light at the end of the tunnel but it is very dinn and dark not only for Syria and Syrians but for the region and the world afterward.
I forgot to sign the above comment.
Metaz. K.M. Aldendeshe
Syrian Republican Party
The future of Syria
The future of the Middle East
www.ssprs.com
web-media@ssprs.com
Some mistakes above such as:
"In fact, all evidences points to the opposite and hints at Petro-Zionist plan THAN a triumphant Syrian masses on top or standing in front of Syrian Government tanks.
"light at the end of the tunnel but it is very DIMM and dark "
and some more, but you will get it.
Notice:
So many posts in SSPRS name and even signed ny me are not mine.
Al Sallam Alaikum
The future of Syria's and the Islamic world defense.
www.orontes.net
SRP said: "Belittling the Syrian President Bashar Assad"
But he IS little! You know there are many, many inside and outside Syria who realise that with sadness for Syrians(and nothing to do with Zionists).
Just how little can a "leader" get? Wasn't it 170 heads of State meeting in New York a few months ago and he was the only no-show?
Even the disgusting and hated Robert Mugabe,with all his enemies back home, has the guts to show up at international gatherings.
And show me even the worst banana republic these days where down the corridor from the "leader" they are mopping up the blood after the Minister for the Interior gets a bullet in the head.
THAT'S what's humiliating for Syrians.
Everything about Bashar that matters is undersized, stunted and underpowered.
People who still hope that this boy Bashar Assad will suddenly change and become a human being must really be very desparate people. For if they have seen this man nmove a little toward justice and dignity for the Syrian people, i.e, free the great Syrians of the so called Damsacus Spring, and whose crime was nothing less the being real honoureable, in contrast to him and his associates. Such an act may be a reason for the foolish who have begging this man and inflating his ego for few years now to, perhaps, start dreaming about his being not so little.., but he is little, evidently,and surely. Had this creature opted toward opening up to the Syrian people, and tried to be elected freely by the people, I am sure he would have become the hero history would have tesitified to, and he was given a great chance, a chance that no one else was given. FOr inspite of the comedy of his inheriting the throne of a Republic President, people put so much faith in him, and people gave him much more than he ever deserved. Even those honourable heroes of Damscus Spring were speaking loud, to really help him, and advance him, and instead of being rewarded, he ended their lives in jails, as some of them, most educated Syrians, and in their late years..
This creature should be out of Syria, the sooner, the better. He has proven that he is little, without any conscience, and nothing more than the image of his for ever cursed father, the late dictator, Hafez Assad.
I am fed up with turning everything as a battle between Isreal and our existence, for this CD has caused us all of that past misery. Syria should abandon Arabism, and start looking at conserving the existence it already has, and develop itself so its people can enjoy normal life, and look forward for a good future.
\Enough grandiose non sense dreams.
JAM
As a person, President Assad is a nice person. As a leader he is inexperienced and have really bad advisers. Undersized and underpowered, This is the most strange thing that I never figured out why is he like that. He does not seams to make a difference between being a nice persona and having strong defense system for his country and that is really what is humiliating for Syria and Syrians. No one is messing with North Korea or Iran, that should have been a clue to him. Even in his backyard in Lebanon, he has an example of Hizzbullah. Israeli fears Hizbullah and the Palestinian groups more than they fear the Syrian Government and it's armed forces. In fact, they make all kind of jokes on Syrian army and military, but you never hear Israeli or anyone else make jokes about the military readiness of Hizbullah. You hear Israeli military thugs making remarks about marching on Damascus in 2 hours or wiping the Syrian army in few days according to a recent Israeli prepared report, but you never hear Israeli military criminals / industrial espionage thieves making remarks or putting out reports about whipping Hizbullah off in few years.
President Assad can change that status at anytime, when he realize that this is not about class or ideology but about National interests and honor.
As to attending the U.N. I honestly don't think a Syrian President should degrade his nation and status and attend a meeting in this organization. Personally, there is not one person that I personally will shake hand with at the U.N. and even among those attended that mentioned meeting. It is beneath me. SSPRS, calls for immediate withdrawal from this criminal organization and all it's affiliates, so as from the Arab League.
Metaz. K.M. Aldendeshe
Syrian Republican Party
The future of Syria
The future of the Middle East
www.ssprs.com
web-media@ssprs.com
I am pretty sure that Syria will not waver from the trend it has set since Bashar came to power. It will do anything to protect itself now the regime is so sorely cornered. The world can not be wrong about its secret talks regarding the Golan. alas they have probably lost any chance of gaining them back completely amytime soon, having become so friendless.
The only chance for the Assad regime - divide, create chaos and conquer. Long live Bashar and Bang-a-buck Bouthaina!
SRP are you feeling okay today? you don't sound like your usual self (more rational) ;)
I think what Bashar & Co. are doing is:
Sell Pieces of Syria (economy, people, land) in exchange for survival.
But personally, I'm really getting sick of those Lebanese SOB's raising every issue they can think of right now, as to make sure Syria is portrayed as the devil incarnate. The Hariri Mafia's behavior is quite disgusting: Let's have an international tribunal for Hariri's killing, one for mass graves, one for botched boob jobs, and another for Lahoud... I mean these guys are really doing what Israel could only dream of doing to harm Syria and its people.
Just to make sure, I don't mind raising and investigating these issues. But the timing is very telling of those SOB's real intentions; these bastards have created a climate of hate b/w Syrians and Lebanese people that will take a very long time to mend.
Israel fears a destabilized Syria
Last Update: 04/12/2005 13:03
Israel was never enthusiastic when talk of Syrian regime change began to float around, as it believed the other options would prove to be even worse - an Islamic regime or chaos.
Syria's instability is on the minds of Israeli officials trying to prepare themselves for the outcome of the final report by special UN investigative commission, headed by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, into the murder of Lebanese leader Hariri. Israel's chief of military intelligence told Israeli decision makers that more pressure on Syria might bring attacks on the northern border. The Israeli delegation handling the strategic dialog with the United States reiterated Israel's inconvenience with the possibility of destabilizing the Assad regime until it is uprooted. Israel was never enthusiastic when talk of Syrian regime change began to float around, as it believed the other options would prove to be even worse ? an Islamic regime or chaos. "Israel is concerned about what would follow if the Assad regime collapses," says an informed source. Israeli cabinet members still believe it is better to have Assad in power, as he is the only Syrian in sight who can maintain order. An attempt by the Americans to identify another possible leader wasn't very successful.
Israeli delegates to the dialog predicted that should Assad lose power, there is a possibility of Syria deteriorating into civil war ? which could be won by an Islamic regime headed by an extremist leader. As a rule, over the past three years Israel has not been on the optimistic side when it comes to the American project of democratization in the Arab world. This is true in Syria as it is in other countries such as Lebanon.
But according to people familiar with the outcome of the talks, some Israelis have come to believe that the Bush administration is becoming increasingly convinced that regime change in Syria is needed or even inevitable.
Considering the situation in Iraq, no one is talking seriously about a military option in regard to Damascus, but some think the Assad administration is weak enough to be uprooted by applying more economic and diplomatic pressure. Heavy pressure is expected when the final Mehlis report is to be published next month. The final report is expected to come closer to point at officials in Assad's inner circle as responsible to the assassination of Hariri.
The article posted above speek volumes ( the CD exist and still playing JAM for as much as you wantto stop it, try to cntact the industrial espionage artists, otherwise known as Israelis who own the CD, don't ask me to stop it turning) some other SSPRS Classified information are much worse and reveal a sinister plan.
Dardari being the economic czar of Syria is as scary of a notion as it is laughable. The man does not know the difference between the foreign exchange market and a fixed exchange rate, thus he fumbles as he utters total nonesense when faced with a question about what a "controlled floating currency" is (which is nothing but an oxymoron invented by him).
He continues to insult the intelligence of millions of Syrians with his now total lame attempts to capture headlines, thinking that's the way to restore confidence in the local economy. Well, after the first couple of times, the people have caught on, and they don't listen to him anymore.
It is deplorable that he tries to manipulate the economic atmosphere instead of doing real work. He thinks solid economic planning can be better replaced with empty propaganda, forever. He even mocks people simply because they're scared for their welfare, a welfare which his government has so far failed to maintain.
It's become a norm in this government to replace substance with propaganda, not because they're dumb, but rather because they have no substance. Four years and the Umayyad round about is staring every Damascene in the face, standing tall as a monument of an ethically bankrupt government, and Dardari dares to speak of foreign investments in the billions, while they cannot even finish a single construction project of not more than 400 meters of paved roads in a major intersection in the city. Mr. Dardari, that's what influences the average Syrian and foreign investors, what they see on the ground, not what comes out of your blow hole infront of cameras. And next time the president of the Central Bank tries to say something, don't shut him up infront of everyone, he knows about the economy more than you'll ever learn.
Alterion,
Well done. A Very well articulated comment. The inpetness of this regime's economic policies has done enormous damage to the well being of every citizen. One cannot feel more frustrated and dismayed than I do when I see the economic potential of this country go to such waste. This is by far the worst economic management that a country can have. Reforms, committees, meetings, more promises of reforms, new inventions of float, new modifications of tired socialist economics, half pregnant measures, lies , lies and more lies. America, Israel, Nato, the devil..Please put this country out of this misery. I cannot take it anymore. All of you warning of chaos and another Iraq, cut it out. IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
Extremely intelligent (on a leaping monkey species level) U.S. and Israeli planners will have the answer for that EHSANI2 in a decade. when there are 37 Million unemployed Syrians, 18 Million unemployed Jordanians, 90 Million unemployed Iraqis, 80 Million unemployed Egyptians and an Arab population in the Billion, more than half of them unemployed and the countries are flat broke, because all the cash gone to British bank accounts.
Ingenious Jews think they have the answer for the upcoming problem they will be facing, they are building a wall around Israel, they got the idea from Biblical Jericho ( I did mention that we are talking leaper monkey level of intelligence).
Just imagine in this decade, this scenario, half a billion unemployed and frustrated, angry Arabs, brainwashed by the ruling regimes that Jews are the main problem to their misery backed with extremist ideologies and sophisticated technologies, such as those radar and missile evading WMD sprayers descending on Israel just like the Bible says it will happen” 200,000,000 descending in one night, like a cloud” and Israeli have no time to pick think up or launch a Nuclear attack, WMD would have already wiped then out silently in one hour, just like the bible said. Those nuke the Jews worked on in their miserable re-existence to build will be used by the invaders , again quoting the Bible: Two Third of the planet will be made uninhabitable.
This is a little too much Bible reading and citation for me (no offense).
EHSANI2, you can trash the Bible, Old and New Testement. Don't waste time reading them.
BUT DO READ, UNDERSTAND AND MEMORIZE ONE CHAPTER: THE BOOK OF REVELATION. THAT IS ALL YOU NEED AND READ THE SERIES OF BOOKS BY SITCHIN.
You will not accertain what the hell will be going on in this decade if you can not put daily events into it's contest. You will be as the book say "PREPLEXED" and "full of anxieties and preplexities"
When you read the above material. You will be able to put the puzzle peices together and be in control and knowledge of the events that will be unfolding on this planet.
I am not asking you to believe all those Christian deceivers like Benni's and Popov's etc..etc..
I am well aware of Zecharia Sitchin and his writings. Please tell me when I trashed the Bible?
Agree, that is all you need EHSANI2. You are smart and possibly Jew but to complete your knowledge you will need this info.
Don't be like the dumb Jews who ignored all the prophets warnings. Like the Iranian Shia, they still awaiting the coming of the Mehdi / Messiah. Both will be forever waiting because they don't understand that they are awaiting the rise and coming of the Beast Amen / Marduk they killed all the prophets and all the good men that tried to warns them and help them.
Beware of the One Eyed Beast, AAOUAR AL DAJJAL. For he is the deceiver of man and corruptible of their soul, spirit and eternal purpose as a sovereign being. He will enslave all mankind and put a number in their right hand and forehead for he that don't have the number and the name of the beast will not be able to buy or sell.
There is more to living and knowledge than knowing economics. Everyone cal study and have knowledge but not everyone can attain wisdom.
I am not a Jew. I am surprised that you thought I was one. It would be hard to be in and out of Syria as much as I do and as often as I do (most recent was few weeks ago). As for the need to have a broader knowledge than Economic theory, it is regrettable that I have given you this impression.
Well, that evil spy Eli Cohen did!!!
Let us not forget Israel has 3 submarines armed with nuclear weapons . So that way they always have 2nd strike capability against all major Middle Eastern populations centers.
SRP your last sentence was very well said..."There is more to living and knowledge than knowing economics. Everyone cal study and have knowledge but not everyone can attain wisdom." Very true. The young generation sometimes does not realize that wisdom is something that can only be obtained--if obtained at all--through many years of experience. A person can be the most brilliant economist, engineer, historian but still not have wisdom. Ehsani, sorry but like SRP, I also get the impression that while you sure know your economics, you still have a long way to go in seeing the big picture--more wisdom is needed. Nothing too negative--I think I also have a long way to go in the wisdom department.
Alterion and Ehsani--I love the bashing of Dardari--it is very healthy to be able to freely do so. But I think you are being too harsh on him. The man is a western educated PhD and non-baathist. I would bet he knows more about economics than alterion or Ehsani2. (a quick google on "controlled floating currency" shows numerous references including the WSJ here Maybe the concept is simply hard to explain thus his fumbling. Instead of pointing out little fumbles of explanations as proof of ineptitude, let us know what 'real work' say he should be doing.
Given the constraints he works under I believe he is doing a fine job. Sometimes economic hype is needed, sometimes it in national security interests to raise people's spirits a bit. Sometimes the hype becomes of self-fulfilling prophesy in a way. It looks like from my angle that Dardari is trying to create the image that Syria is a mecca of foreign investment because it is the last stable middle eastern country. More power to him--Syria will be better off if that is its economic image. Image is important--ask Dubai how well they have cultivated their image.
Having said that we do need to show projects can get done quickly. The Sports City in Aleppo is a joke as is the future Aleppo City Hall that has been built now for the past 20+ years. And still not done. These projects are symbolic in a way of change in Syria. Dubai puts up skyscrapers in months and we can't finish these comparitively smaller projects. Embarrassing.
Alterion and Esanhi2 have switched on the lights. (Which badly confused and startled some subsequent posters, leaving them too dazed to think.) And Esanhi2 wrote about the need for action and reform in Syria :"IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?"
I would suggest that if not now, then it will happen too late to succeed or never.
There is growing evidence in today's world of how economic deterioration and all the negative political and social factors linked to it reach a tipping point beyond which any remedy becomes too massive and costly to implement.
Syria is rich in resources, and among its greatest riches are its human resources. That's where the greatest waste, neglect and damage is being inflicted by this self-appointed amateur "leadership" with its primitive criminal mentality.
It's heartbreaking and infuriating.
(And Dardari? There's your real-life evidence, thanks engineeringchange, to the comment that knowing a lot of economics does not mean wisdom. But with him it's deeper and uglier than that. Where's the man's shame?)
Although I still have faith in Bashar as a leader and Syria's best current hope for the time being, I agree that NOW is the best time for internal change to take place. There are many in the Syrian government who only understand the force of pressure to bring about change.
Well we have our pressure--so the reformers in Syria if you reading--take this opportunity please to bring about the change!!!
I feel somewhat impotent all of us talking about change needed now--but I hope somebody who is in a position to bring about change is taking these comments on this blog to heart and will have the courage to do so.
Economic reforms, political parties, kurd issue, lebanon emabassy. Don't break the system, but Syria needs a good shock!!
What has Dardari done or not done to bring about questioning his shame?? Deeper and uglier?? Have I missed something? Please clue me in because I was high on the man and still am high on his prospects to bring about change.
Eng.Chg. You have really sank to new lows in my book. I will not waste my time responding to your rediculous comments above. You get the the "impression that I have a long way to go in seeing the big picture--more wisdom is needed"? I just pray to God that the way he directs me on is the exact opposite to where your brain and thought process is heading.
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FIrst of all, I am Alawi so, whoever will want to accuse me of being a MB or what ever else can shut up.
Now, I spoke about Dardari before few times, and I repeat:
Dardari is a new horse they want to ride (for exchange of giving him the prestige and theft he needs) as they rode Abdel Ra'ouf Kass'em and many others who were presented to the Syrian people as Economic Miracle men. In short, this miracle man is always a Sunni. One must wonder why they choose a Sunni and never ever a Christian, or an Alawi, etc...
Evidently, they need to portray legality for their regime that forbids any Sunni Soldier to be among the Republican Guards units. Yet, they need to ride on the back of those cheap and opportnistic Sunnis such as Dardari, Khadam, Sharraa, Tlas, Zou'bi, Kasse'm, Shehabi, etc...many of those donkeys or horses...and Dardari is a cheap one looking to get ahead like Khadam and all the others, so he is taking this opportunity where they bluff the world of his Miracle capabilities and tell the people: Wait a little, Dardari or who ever else ...has the miracle for you. For the Regime, during the past 35 years only needed a man like Dardari (Fucking Dardari) to start producing the miracles. Bashar Assad tells foreign dignatories about how stupid the Syrian people are, and that he can not produce results because...because he is surrounded by stupid and lazy people, the Syrian people. He alone, and now Dardari are smart, and understand.
Fuck the Assad gang all together!
JAM
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN
Eng.Chg.:
I will skip over your condescending remarks preaching wisdom to EHSANI2 simply because you disgaree with him, and I will get right to the point, but not before a last comment about personalizing the discussion. It is best if you do not resort to Ad Hominem posts, tempting as it may be, for it makes you lose the argument.
You had to look up "controlled floating currency", whereas most Syrians did not have to and saw right throw it that Mr. Dardari was more interested in mentioning the word "floating" than in anything else, knowing that it would be picked up by newswires and hopefully (according to his genius) this will jack up the value of the SP... not so, said the Syrian merchants who have inherited their street-smart expertise from thousands of years of Damascene trading, and have seen tens of Dardaris come and go.
As for his alleged Ph.D., I beg to differ. He has a B.S. degree from Damascus Univeristy, and the longest he's been gone abroad was for a 3-month training course in the UK, nothing more, nothing less. I happened to know the guy first-hand, and I am sorry to disappoint you that he is even more inept than he sounds.
Syrians deserve better, that's the bottomline.
Lemme just go on records and say that the proof is in the pudding. That's to say, Syrians are sick of empty promises and would like to see something real on the ground. So I am happy to report that I will be the first to eat my own words should Dardari produce something... anything really. As for now, so far so crap.
Alterion, my fear is your words will remain uneaten. The pudding's a cheap plastic empty shell. There's nothing of substance inside. They can't do the heavy intellectual and administrative lifting required to bake it. They genuinely don't know how, and they don't think they need to anyway. Everything that matters in their world can be fixed with a gun.
If we're honest, most of us had feelings like EngineeringChange at some stage of Bashar's "leadership". Hopeful and yearning for things to come right. Anxiously wanting to have faith and find some good in the regime, fighting to hang on to the comfort provided by this illusion.
EngineeringChange deserves a brotherly cuff on the ear, not the punches people have been throwing. Realisation and disappointment will be painful enough, and it's possible he's already starting to adjust his soft romantic focus on Bashar into one of harsh reality.
(About Dardari and shame, maybe I'll be wrong. Maybe when the basic necessities of petrol, foodstuffs, housing, education, health and a barely liveable wage for civil servants are only available for Syrians through international loans and handouts...he'll read what the journalists write about this and feel embarrassed. He'll feel deeply hurt and unappreciated like that sadistic bully and warlord Ghazi Kanaan, who proved to have a soul so sensitive that he couldn't continue to live with the media's unkind remarks.)
Sorry, I'm typing too fast. I meant to give Ghazi his full honourable title of "drug warlord". Apologies to his grieving associates for omitting to mention his personal commercial achievements.
Dardari is not a PhD?? Josh or someone else with a proper source, can you please clear this up--Syrians do have a right to know the educational background of the Deputy Prime Minister of Syria for Economic affairs. Every place I check in the web puts 'Dr.' in front of Abdullah Dardari, so I am surprised to hear Alterion tell us otherwise. Alterion, you may be right but I am sorry that I do not believe you, nor discount you at face value. Give the readers proof if you can.
JAM you may be right about Dardari only time will tell. And activelistener, you are right my romantic image of Bashar is not what is was a couple months ago. Thats why I read the website--it helps me learn and grow. I do not believe I am all-wise and my opinion does change.
Ehsani2:
"IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?"
Engineeringchange:
"I agree that NOW is the best time for internal change to take place"
Alterion:
Eng.Chg.:
"I will skip over your condescending remarks preaching wisdom to EHSANI2 simply because you disgaree with him"
Alterion, maybe you should read more carefully. I agreed with Ehsani2, not disagreed with him and certainly did not attacked him.
Ehsani2--I made an general observation about wisdom/realism based on your past comments. I did not mean to attack or offend you, but rather meant a contructive critism. But you think its ridiculous i guess. Well I stand by my opinion though which I based on your past comments that were in the spirit of 'Lets cede the Golan to Israel' or 'Lets send Syrian troops to Iraq' Comments like these prompted me to say you sometimes lack wisdom/realism and don't see the big picture. For example, if we let Israel keep the Golan, that means our people forever will be yearning for their land back and will not be able to move forward. That will eventually lead to another war with Israel when some Syrian leader thinks he has sufficient force. I think it is wiser to hold out for the entire Golan so our people can move on.
Wait, here's a clue about Dardari's scholastic background. It's the alumni magazine from Richmond University, the American International University in London ("degrees recognised in America and the UK").
It says he got a degree in economics there in 1985 and went on to get a MA from the University of California. He was working for the UN Development Program as Syria Program Officer when Bashar suddenly hauled him upstairs to help run the whole show.
It also describes him as a "non-Ba'athist and highly respected man in Syria" (indicating he probably wrote the piece himself).
All soft stuff. Nothing there about any real life experience of being involved in running or planning anything of substance before he climbed aboard Bashar's gravy train.
See http://www.richmond.ac.uk/newsletter0805/AlumniinInternationalSpotlight.html
Thank you activelistener. The importance of citing sources is shown. Interesting that the article desribes him having a BA and MA, but not a PhD. But certainly lots of western education--USC is a very good academic institution. If he doesn't have a PhD, how is he being referred to as Dr. I do not know.
So Alterion, is this article wrong or were you mistaken when you said since you "happened to know the guy first-hand" that Dardari only had a degree from Damascus Uni and "the longest he's been gone abroad was for a 3-month training course in the UK" or were you intentially misleading the esteemed syriacomment readers? Or perhaps you knew a different Abdullah Dardari?
Checked the Alumni of USC, there has never been someone with this name variation from Syria or any other country in the past 30 years.
He is Jewish and a confirmed Mossad Agent like Daoudi. Would not be surprised if teh degrees are faked out and given to him and Daoudi by Mossad and or the CIA
This dude will by far have gone further in the Baathist system than Eli Cohen did.
Now you know why Bashar keep him close. Bashar is smart, he is funneling the Billions to Israeli banks for safe keeping, where the U.N. could not reach it. Just like that Saudi prince Walid Talal too.
That explain the above article posted above about Israeli no wanting change in Damascus.
Hehehehehe;;;;;
Since I heard of this Dardary, I was under the impression that he was working as some expert economist at the United Nations. Now, I see that he was working a Syrian Appointee at the UNDP. The UNDP is the most retarded and corrupt organization that exists today on Earth. This UNDP does not give "expertise" in anything, but it is a place to steal aid intended to third world peoples and countries, where 98% of the donnations are stolen by the executives of this so called UNDP. It is not a prestegious thing to work there, neither it is of any value to gaining any expertise. It is a place where "jobs" can be given to those who do not qualify to work in the private sectors or in respectable places. It is a welfare place for those with connections, where this welfare can render them rich as well.
So, this propaganda that Josh is giving to Dardari by inflating his credential has absolutely no real value. What did Dardari gain from working for this "UNDP"? Nothing.
Nothing is the answer, and I am not sure why Josh is promoting his expertise (non existent) as the magic that Syria needs?
JAM
Bolton knows all the ins and outs of this corrupt UN, but he needs to pay a special attention to UN organizations that have no deeper purpose than to make some executives rich, such as the UNDP. Go Bolton Go!
\
Viva Bolton
Is this really about the educational background of Dardari. Let us suppose that he has a PhD from Harvard. So what? Does this make policies or programs brilliant and applicable? Let us just discuss the results. By their own admission, GDP is only $20 Billion. They also admit that economic growth ought to be three times population growth. This means that they are targeting at least 7% economic growth. Mr. Dardari needs to explain how he can almost treble the country’s growth rates. He cannot just say it will. He needs to lay out a credible and believable framework that he will use to achieve this target. Either he is lying to his people or he is ignorant about the fact that unless he moves to a full fledged market economy he will not even get close to these targets. My suspicion is that it is the former. Lies, lies and more lies.
Alterion and Active listener are superb participants in this forum, so they can defend themselves. As to my lack of wisdom, I never advocated handing over the Golan. Please show me when I said so. What I do advocate is the need to enter into a genuine peace negotiations with Israel. This struggle was lost decades ago due to horrendous mistakes by earlier Arab decision makers. Enough people have paid with their lives for these mistakes. Future generations of Syrians do not need to keep paying. It is time to cut our losses and accept the facts on the grounds. Were the Arab world to have agreed to the U.N. sponsored deal in 1948, they would have gained more land than any current or future peace deal is likely to yield. As to my comments on Iraq, there is no question in my mind that Bashar’s downfall started with his strong public stand against the invasion. At best, he should have lied low and played a neutral role. A more visionary leader would have had the foresight to know that America has come to Iraq to stay. As America struggled to restore law and order, Syria could have at least tried to carve itself a positive role that would have allowed it to gain huge favors in Washington. Instead, Bashar does the exact opposite. He bets on the insurgency hoping that America retreats. He then compounds his errors further by extending Lahoud’s term and the rest is history. If I am short on wisdom, then Bashar and his supporters are long it.
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
Dr. Landis,
The NY Times has a front page story entitled "Military's information war is vast and often secretive". It quotes Mr.Rendon who was the main subject of the Rolling Stone article that you posted earlier.
I agree with Esani--now is the time!! Bring about internal Change everyone do your best--Use this American pressure to your benifit, or quoting Anwar Al-Bunni:
“I won’t rely on America but I am going to exploit American pressure to realize my goals. Don’t be part of the American project, but you should still position yourself to benefit from it. Allow America to put pressure on the regime and reap the benefits. Don’t participate in America’s project, but don’t fight it. They don’t understand this equation.” Anwar al-Bunni Aug 7 2005
Ehsani you advocated handing over the Golan in these comments to me on Fri Nov 18 2005:
"You keep on the Patriotism going. You keep on the false dreams of
defeating Israel and taking back the Golan....You stay patriotic
and best of luck with your Jihad"
Your statement above led me to believe you think that taking back the Golan is a false dream, which I disagree with very much.
And Dardari's education is not relevent to his policies but it would be ridiculus if he is not a PhD and is going about saying that he is.
The point is Dardary did not get a real job anywhere. What do employees of the UNDP do? Do they not follow the stringe bureaucracy of the UN headquarter without even questioning what is going on? And he joined the UNDP from Syria, not that he earned his position abroad or struggled a bit with life. It is well known how Syrians in Damascus join the UNDP. What did his employment at the UNDP give him to be talked about now by those propagandists as the Miracle man?
JAM.
And it does not matter if he holds a PHD or not. All Syrian names now are preceded by the two letters, dr.
SRP, searching the Alumni directory at USC requires that you be one (username/pwd), so are you?
HAHAHAHAHA...........good work guys, so Drdari is miracle indeed.
Now start and convince Landis, who tells just the half truth.
WHEN THEN IF NOT NOW?
In the area of palmyra are around 70thousand bodies waiting the get unearthed.
GOD BLESS BOLTON AND BUSH AND SYRIAS PEOPLE.
EngineeringChange,I think people are entitled to feel unhappy about the turn history took with the Golan etc, but Ehsani is right. It's not productive to have it scrawled at the top of any wish list at the moment.
He also shows wisdom in making historical comment on what Arab leaders decided for their people. But how can most Syrians be expected to realise why things are the way they are, and how they came to be that way? How can they know what to think, without ever having the chance to read, reflect on and discuss their own modern history and participate in well-informed policy debates? Instead, they can only react to what they have been told by the mistake-makers(on that tired old CD).
Apart from anything else, Syria is simply not currently equipped to deal. Israel's ferociously diligent lobbyists and propagandists face no competition in the west from the self-appointed representatives of the peoples of the Middle East. "Leaders" such as the Asads, Saddam Hussein and Yassir Arafat have always been the strongest and most valuable cards in Israel's pack, enabling them to win the international game by default. And unfortunately Israel's default position just got stronger with the arrival of islamist insurgents and that poor confused little militia-man who is now representing Iran.
So until Syria has a credible and competent government, forget it, nobody outside Syria will be bothered to listen. Meanwhile, in the absence of any competition, they also won't bother to brush away the diligent Israeli insects that keep landing on their shoulders and flying into their ears and eyes.
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I stand by my information. There was much debate about whether or not he has an M.A., since many don't feel that 3 months at the UK was enough to get an M.A. As for the Ph.D., not even he, can claim as having. It is mostly people around him now refer to him as Dr. Dardari, for obvious reasons. One time on Syrian TV, he was introduced to a panel as having a Ph.D. from Spain! (he was present and didn't contest this introduction). Later, in printed conferences, he was presented as having a Ph.D. from the UK! He was hired at the UNDP/SPC as an M.A. But again, it doesn't really matter. Remember, this is all hype and no substance, even when it comes to credentials. He said floating and didn't mean it, and they say Ph.D., and they don't really mean it. He was a good manager at the UNDP office, however. In that, his co-workers liked him, and he first got his exposure to government officials through his function at the UNDP, for it partially funded, among other institutes, the State Planning Commission. So he was first exposed to the SPC through the UNDP. Also, his late father was a Lt. General and was well-known. This has earned Dardari Junior the name-recognition he needed. Daradri Senior passed away shortly after his son took office (he was retired by then). Dardari Junior also worked as a journalist, prior to his UNDP days. This is all fine and dandy, still not sure why this guy should be in charge of our collective welfare.
To break away from personalizing this debate, I will say one more word about currency and currency trading, in a simplified way, so please no flaming. Currency trading, and in essence forex rate, are mostly about sepculation, even more so than regular stock trading. I am not an economic expert by any stretch of the imagination, but 15 years of inflation (that's how long the $ was trading at 50-+ SP), not to mention salary increases which when not backed by growth, puts a strain on the local currency (much like issuing more stocks in a company dilute the price of the stock when not backed), not to mention recent new expenditures which have deprived the individual Syrian of liquidity which he would have spent in the market and would have been re-cycled, all have put a tremendous strain on the SP. These new expenditures do not contribute to the local market, yet they suck a great chunk off of the local wealth. They include cars (now that they're "affordable" everyone is trying to buy one) This is hard currency gone out the window (not to mention the fees paid to the government which equal the value of the car). They also include mobile phones and mobile bills, all of which are new and they go to private companies and don't get re-invested in the economy. As a result, the shops are mostly empty and people have less to spend. This is coupled with an unfavorable political atmosphere (this is called "Fundamental Speculation"), the only way to control the SP was to threaten the black market not to let the SP spiral out of control. And all what this controlled floating amounted to is a lame attempt for the official rate to try and catch up with the black market. Of course this will never happen since you cannot simply walk into a bank and buy a single dollar just because you want to. So controlled floating really meant arresting those who trade outside the official rate.
Just so you guys have a grasp on this, should the government really float its currency, Syria will be bankrupt overnight. A single brokerage house could buy out all of Syria's forex market, and then control the price. Even now, should a well-known brokerage house decide to speculate against the SP, we could be in deep trouble. Remember, they don't even have to physically have SPs in their possession to speculate. They can just sell contracts against the SP. So far these powers have been nice to us and have not decided to wreak havoc on our economy. In case you all are wondering, this takes place mostly in Dubai. But should someone decide to unleash these sharks against us, we're in deep doodoo. That's why we "bash" Dardari, not because we don't like his looks.
Putin's Russia and the European have dealt a serious blow to U.S. National Interests and prestige in the Middle East. Israeli, outmaneuvered America, in an attempt to rob Syria from the Golan. All have refused to back America drive to bring Democracy, Development and the implementation of the Middle East Initiative of President Bush to Syria.
First thing first- Bush needs to respond to this Russian challenge on it’s security and economic interests the old fashioned American way, by offering logistical and financial support to Right-Wing clandestine operatives and Democratic liberation movements that will free Syria and establish Democratic government that has similar vision for the Middle East future as that of Washington.
American, needs to face the realities of the fact that the Middle East is the most important region to them, not only because of it’s oil resources, but also for National Security matters. The Middle East, and specially Syria, is now America #1 National Security concern. Because, a continuation of the “same O-same O” in Baathist Syria, is only watching the flame line getting closer, and closer, to the most humongous TNT loaded barrel that will blow up and take the entire region with it. Causing America serious economic hardship that Putin, Chirac mentally challenged Blair and industrial espionage mafia head Sharon will sit and enjoy watching and laughing at the outcome and America economic loss. Hurriedly ready to fill the gap like vultures on a corpse. Ready to sell their inferior wear even at the expense of America’s security.
That flame line is getting very close to the barrel, and by next American election it would have engulfed the whole region. Jews in Israel and their similarly mentally challenged Jews and pundits running the U.S. Media, will be nowhere around to take the blame for the poor strategy they supported and the prudent Bush strategy they objected to. Of course, it is BUSH, who else, and his Republican Administration that they will blame for everything. The very same man that was fighting for 8 years to make the necessary and prudent change that will secure not only the region, but that of the United States and the region, including Israel which objected to his smart and prudent M.E. Initiative. Bush and Republican will be portrayed as the cause of this catastrophic Middle Policy failure.
President Bush, forget about any U.N deal regarding the Assad regime . Forget about pleasing every Tom, Dick and Harry of the worlds, who will do nothing to help America’s interests and celebrate at every hardship America’s will face. Do not listen to Israeli, who for their entire existence never known a day of peace and security in Israel a Minnesota Mall parking lot sized country. These are not the type of people you needs to subjugate America, the greatest country in the world interests to their insecurities and whims.
President Bush, do not let Jewish controlled media and Democrats mock you next year, with mottos such as MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, WE GOT THE IRAQI OIL. Stand proud in Damascus and mock Chuksha Putin, Snail head Chirac, Pinocchio Blair, Deep throat & pocket Annan. Look fatso industrial espionage mafia boss Sharon in the eyes and say to him. I am an American, I know what is good for America and the World, that is why America is the greatest country in the world and Israel is one of America’s Wallmart-Superstore parking lot and it’s GDP is 10th of Wallmart’s Annual Sales.
God bless America, God bless George W. Bush and his family. let the New Year be a year of rejoicing and hope for desperate and destitute Syrian people. President Bush, please leave office with the highest of accomplishment and be remembered in history as the one, the American President, who freed the Middle East from tyranny and oppression, who brought peace and security to America and who attained the unattainable. Just compare this memory to the memories you will remembered for if you to leave this Baathist dictatorship in Damascus.
Do not let an ex-KGB officer, Churka-Chuksha Putin rob you of your destiny.
Signed:
17.5 Million Signatures
for incarcerated, tortured and enslaved
and destitute Syrians.
Thank you for the explanation Alterion.
??
FFSYRIA:
May God assemble you with Bush and his Republican Administration at Judgement Day.
Signed by one Syrian, me.
Some one said this: """""""
President Bush, do not let Jewish controlled media and Democrats mock you next year, with mottos such as MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, WE GOT THE IRAQI OIL. """"""""
I think it is time to get away from such expressions, or repeating the same album. Leave the Jews alone.
JAM
I think it is time for Syrians to understand that the problems in Syria are caused by the Jews who promoted, suppported and continue to support this regime, even against the interest and will of the United States.
Those who say otherwise are enemies of all Syrians.
Another crimes is committed just few moments ago in Beirut by the Syrian Regime.
This time, they tried to assassinate Jubran Tweini.
The Syrian Regime does not understand but the langiage of force, exactly as Saddam, but I think even much worse.
If the US took the Syrian regime first, all would have been easier and the daily crimes would have been stopped from the begining.
It is important that this regime be taken out, and the sooner, the better. For Syria. For lebanon. For Iraq, and for the United States of America. For the dignity of mankind.
JAM
The Assad Regime has succeeded in killing Jubran Tweini.
It is a very very sad moment in my life.
God bless his soul.
There is an urgency to end this criminal regime.
JAM
It is 1 AM here in California and still trying to get the fact on this reported GT assasination.
Doubtful, very Doubtful that Syrians or any supporters would have carried this out ( if this is accurate as JAM post).
No doubt this is someone that wishes bad things for Syria and the suspect #1 is Israeli Mossad and suspect #2 is Christian Lebanese.
A message was also sent to Jumblat (a few bombs were left near his house). Who's next?
Tne Syrian regime has truly become a dark cloud over the people of Syria and Lebanon. They must go, whatever it takes. Criminals who are disgracing the whole country of Syria. They must go.
Hashem
""""" "We have broken the pen of Gebran Tueni and shut his mouth forever and transformed an-Nahar into a very dark night," """"""
Who said he will destroy Lebanon????
I am deeply ashamed to be syrian.
God bless Tueni.
TO WHOME IT MAY CONCERN
SSPRS is not enemy of Arabism. It makes no difference or relevance what a person religion or ideology is. We do not infringe on those that are of value to the citizen.
SSPRS is Syrian oriented, in that we focus on resolving issues that are of concerns to Syrians. We care about Syria first, because we believe the same as President Assad said about Syria's position in the Middle East and Arab world in his interview to the Russian station RUSSIYE.
SSPRS has full grasp of the situation surrounding Syria but we feel President Assad is not fully believing or comprehending the situation. Our objection to this point does not means we are an opposition to him, but rather we act from, and according to, our Syrian orientation and care about Syria first.
EHSANI2, an economist with unknown origin or ties, has illustrates our concerns vividly when he posted the growth statistics of Middle Eastern Countries and compared it to those of Syria. Which show a slide behind the growth and development of Yemen. Once, the most backward of countries.
SSPRS receives no funding from the United State Government, or any other government. Has not received any aid whatsoever from any sources outside the members supports and has never carried out with meetings, collaboration, conferences or planning with any foreign entity, or any political entity of foreign countries, or entities of Syrian origin that have acted in that way.
SSPRS is western based Reform and Development party for Syria. In such we do not regulate or dictate to members or supporters any opinion. Members are free to express opinion that are varied drastically from the official line of thought.
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The evil hands of the baathist regime murdered the courageous journalist Gebran Tueni.
May God rest his soul in peace.
Lebanese concensual democracy is fighting the darkest forces of Syria´s baath.
Which is more resilient? Which will break first?
Oh Fuck off, this is nothing but a Franco-Mossad conspiracy. Idiots already blaming Syria and the Baath. You think the Baathist are stupid to do that killing today. What a fucking idiot if you think so. You seen how they busted Mehlis and walked away and will walk free tomorrow (pretty much). Baathists are not stupid, they are shrewd and they greased the hand of low life western and eastern politicians and even left sperm in their wife’s pussy too.
Here is the scam that is unfolding, you have to be an ignorant moron not to see it: The French wants to put bases in Lebanon just like the other supper power did in the Middkle East. They also wants to get to that offshore oil of Lebanon coast, and have the country as dependency. They think USA got Iraq, U.K. got Syria so why not take Lebanon.
This is nothing more than NEW AND IMPROVED SYKES-PICOT DEAL. Again, using Jews “MOSSAD” to do the dirty work. In return for Israel helping France out in this plan, the French will push for liquidating Hizbullah and the Palestinians then force Lebanon to sign peace treaty with Israel.
That is really what is behind the assassination, and if not Mossad, Christian Lebanease GEGEIA is yet another server.
Fuckers. Incrideble. Happy to know that President Assad is not going to play this silly game anymore and will fight tooth and nail for Syria and Lebanon.
Watch France offering Lebanon help, "but only if the Lebanease asked for it" ofcourse. HEHAHAHAHAHA. what a fucking childish scam.
Easy now, just because the guy was murdered it doesn't make him a saint. No one in his right mind would promote cold-blooded murder, but at the same time no Syrian in his right mind should shed a tear on someone who indulged himself in the pride of antagonizing anything Syrian. Don't forget that his bitter articles against even the poor Syrian workers, eventually instigated the murder of 700 of them. He was the mouthpiece of Ja'aja and Aoun when they were in exile as he did their dirty work for them. He sailed in his late father's wake, otherwise he would have been just another small-time obscure journalist who would have never made it to TV screens. May God judge him on his deeds and intentions.
We can not side with the Regime when this regime is so irrational, no matter what the "conspiracy" is!
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