February 14, 2005
COVENIENT PRETEXT:
Former Lebanon PM Killed in Beirut (Edward Yeranian, 14 February 2005, VOA News)
Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri was killed instantly after a powerful car bomb ripped through his motorcade. Television footage showed Mr. Hariri's body being carried away from the scene of the explosion. [...]Former Prime Minister Hariri, who left office in October, had recently become a vocal opponent of Syria's military presence in Lebanon. He joined calls by the opposition for the 14,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon to leave the country before the general election in May.
Syrian President Bashar al Assad quickly condemned the assassination, calling it a "terrible criminal act."
Baby Assad can read his regime's own death warrant. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 14, 2005 11:57 AM
The fact that a shrewd billionaire like Hariri can be gotten to indicates that maybe we can hope someone will get to Little Kim soon.
Hariri was Saudi Arabia's man in Lebanon, a Sunni who made his wealth in Saudi. If he wanted the Syrians out, then there must be significant pressure among lower-class Sunnis, dependent upon his and Saudi patronage, for the Syrians to leave.
Did the Syrians blow him up, sending a message that they are still in command? Did Hezbollah do so in order to position itself as the defender of Shia Islam in a state where Shias are the largest group but not a majority? Or did a rival faction leader have him blown up?
One can only hope though that in the words of Billy Sol Hurok that he 'blowed up real good.'
Posted by: Bart at February 14, 2005 12:34 PMDon't hold out hope for a coup of Kim Jong Mentally Ill. The Nork society is as controlled and closed as has ever existed on this planet. Beruit is Las Vegas in comparrison.
Posted by: AML at February 14, 2005 1:22 PM"Baby Assad can read his regime's own death warrant."
OJ: You and what army?
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at February 14, 2005 2:39 PMIt's surprising that the Alawites, who make up a smaller percentage of the Syrian population than the Sunnis do in Iraq, are still in power. Baby Assad doesn't seem to be made of the same stuff as his old man , and Hafez' henchmen must be quite long in the tooth. I guess Hama is still remembered.
Posted by: ed at February 14, 2005 2:42 PMEd,
He does what his father did. He balances off interests against each other. Most of his major advisers are secular Sunni, so he doesn't have much of a problem. A lot of people have a lot of interest in maintaining the Syrian status quo. Papa Assad was not a chazar like Somoza or Saddam.
Posted by: Bart at February 15, 2005 7:29 AM