What to do with Assad

The quality of ME-rcy

What Israelis want from Assad is pound of flesh and not a gram less

1. Ynet. Guy Bechor. What to do with Assad: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3163595,00.html
The U.S. must understand that the Middle East will never know stability as long as the Syrian regime remains in place. Not in Iraq, not in Lebanon, not with regard to the Palestinians, not in Jordan and not even amongst Arab Israelis. Syria's intelligence arm is involved in all these.
There is no chance to deal with Iraq without also dealing with Syria in a Middle East in which so many things are intertwined.
As long as Damascus feels existential pressure, it will try to re-ignite the Palestinian intifada. After all, it's better for the world to turn its attention to Israel and its problems. And indeed, we have already started to feel a return of Palestinian violence, which can be linked back to Syria.
In a world defined by democracy, human rights and a war on terror, it is inconceivable that a dictatorship that harbors the world's most murderous terror groups - Sunni groups in Iraq, Shi'ite groups in Lebanon, and Palestinian groups - can remain in place.

2. Ynet. Roee Nahmias. Assad still doesn't get it: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3162314,00.html
"The Syria regime is in trouble, but it appears that despite everything Assad has not yet grasped the rules of the game," Tel Aviv University professor Eyal Zisser says. "I don t see a situation where he would give in to dictates and turn in his brother, Maher, and his brother-in-law, (Head of Military Intelligence) Asef Shawkat to face an international inquiry."
"The (Security Council) resolution was softened, but on the other hand the United States accepted the decision, which means the Americans got what they wanted," Zisser says. "The resolution doesn't impose sanctions, but it lays the groundwork for a very severe resolution against Syria in the future."

on March 19 2003 nor will I support any combat in Syria.Listen to
the Bsuh Crime Family,"hurry up and condemn Syria so we can attack"
they're drooling at the prospect of doing Syria ..

For decades, Lebanon has been the stage for a regional and international power play, in which various Arab countries, Israel and the United States have been engrossed. These power brokers manipulated the countries' political alliances, poured in money, supplied weapons, helped validate some players within the unfolding Lebanese drama, and marginalized others.

While Syria had its own inventory of alliances, Israel had and still maintains some proxies, as well as Washington with its right wing Lebanese Christians, Iran its militias, and even Iraq, during the Ba'ath party reign, had its share of meddling. The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was also a significant power broker throughout the 1970s, until the deadly Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, which killed tens of thousands of Lebanese and Palestinians. Since then, Palestinians have been confined to their refugee camps following the expulsion of PLO forces to various world capitals.

Considering that nearly all of the competing forces on the Lebanon stage, whether internally or externally, maintain their interests in the country's affairs, thus involvement, it's unscrupulous, to say the least, to heap criticism on Syria alone for Lebanon's misfortunes, past and present, and to solely single out Damascus as the only likely suspect in Hariri's murder. It's ironic that those who have for long contributed to Lebanon's demise are now the main players in leading the fault-finding chorus, demanding justice and the "truth".

This should not in any way suggest that Syria's record in Lebanon is a shining example of courtesy and decency. Syria's thrust in Lebanon had little to do with alleviating the country's woes. It certainly had more to do with sheltering and benefiting Syria itself, an objective that often led to abuses of power, unwarranted interference in Lebanon's political affairs and ultimately to near complete hegemony over the country's sovereignty.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GJ29Ak01.html

There are many alternative ways to say "Death to X". For example, one can legally demand a pound of X's flesh as Shylock did to Antonio.

Now Haririgate is used exactly for the same purpose - to destroy the Syrian ruler Assad and his regime using the UN legal process as a cover. The problem is, France cooperates in this exercise, so Ramzy Baroud desperately tries to rationalize the absurdity of the situation.

1. ATimes. Ramzy Baroud. Rolling back Syria: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GJ29Ak01.html

The bloody hands behind Hariri's murder are, so it seems, the least relevant detail as far as Israel and the Bush administration are concerned.

Syria is expected to eliminate any influence it might still maintain over Lebanon, expel Palestinian factions that oppose the Israeli occupation and prepare to accept Israel's own interpretation of a suitable resolution to the occupied Golan Heights conflict.

2. Wiki on Shylock: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock

I am disappointed to see the UN lend itself to this sort of dishonest crap again, but I am not convinced much will come of it.

They have been attempting to threaten and harrass Iran and Syria for quite some time now, inside and outside the UN, with little effect. I don't see any reason to think that this will come out differently, so far.