THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Syria should learn Saddam's lesson and withdraw from Lebanon: Kuwait paper (Al-Siyassah, 10/17/2004 via AFP)

A Kuwaiti newspaper strongly criticized Syria on Sunday for failing to withdraw its troops from Lebanon and warned that the regime should learn the lesson of Saddam Hussein's ouster in Iraq or meet the same fate.

"Is there really any hope that the Syrian regime... will learn from previous examples and immediately... withdraw from Lebanon so as to save itself and not collapse like Saddam's regime," Al-Siyassah asked.

"It appears there is no hope... because the Syrian regime... in essence is similar to Saddam's regime, particularly in its failure to understand international realities," the daily said in a front-page editorial.

Damascus has been under pressure since the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1559 early last month which demanded the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Lebanon, in a clear reference to Syria.

That Syria isn't part of the Coalition of the Willing this time around says much more about Syria's ambivalence in supporting terrorism than Bush's determination to wipe it out. Meanwhile here's more evidence that Kerry-style, UN-driven "diplomacy" is a farce. Syria remains the most likely accomplice and hiding place of any former WMD materials from Iraq.