Posted on 04/25/2005 3:27:36 AM PDT by M. Espinola
THE last Syrian troops are due to leave Lebanon today as Damascus bows to concerted international and Lebanese pressure following February’s assassination of Rafik Hariri, the billionaire former prime minister. The swift withdrawal, a few days ahead of schedule, coupled with last week’s formation of a new Lebanese government after weeks of political deadlock, raised expectations that parliamentary elections will be held on time next month.
Rustum Gazaleh, the Syrian intelligence chief in Lebanon, would be the last to leave after a farewell ceremony in the eastern Bekaa Valley tomorrow, a senior security source said. The withdrawal of Syrian intelligence officers along with the military has been a persistent demand of the Lebanese opposition.
In driving rain on Saturday night, dozens of trucks carrying hundreds of soldiers and at least 150 armoured vehicles pulling cannon and rocket launchers were seen abandoning positions in the Bekaa Valley and heading to the Syrian border.
Before Hariri’s murder in February, Syria had 14,000 troops in Lebanon. Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, is set to confirm tomorrow whether Syria has ended its 29-year military and intelligence presence in Lebanon in line with a Security Council resolution made last September.
Such confirmation would be a major boost for most Lebanese who now hope to forge a new sense of national unity. Many only began to believe that Syria’s "big brother" role in their country was really coming to an end when withdrawing Syrian troops began dismantling statues of the late Syrian president, Hafes al-Assad earlier this month.
Syria’s political influence over Lebanon, however, is Syria also declared it would establish an embassy in Beirut for the first time, and last week two top pro-Syrian Lebanese security officials offered to take leave pending an investigation into Hariri’s death.
The Syrian retreat marks a major political shift in the region. The tumultuous response to Hariri’s murder, including huge anti-Syrian demonstrations in Beirut which drove out the pro-Syrian government, caught Damascus off-guard.
Gerald Butt, editor of the Middle East Economic Survey, told The Scotsman: "I don’t think Syria ever thought it would pull its troops out of Lebanon. Syria is today more isolated than it was yesterday."
Syria’s political influence over Lebanon, however, is likely to remain in diluted form, he added. Any new Lebanese government will want good relations with Damascus, but on an equal footing.
Meanwhile, Hariri’s son, Saad, said this weekend that he would run in the Lebanese general elections set to be held by 29 May.
The fragile spirit of Lebanese unity is also expected to face stern challenges. The powerful Hezbollah organisation, which shows no sign of disarming in accordance with Security Council demands, was noticeably absent from the rallies demanding an end to Syria’s pervasive influence in Lebanon. Its leaders portray US pressure on Syria is aimed at extending US and Israeli influence over Lebanon.
The Syrian retreat is also likely to open the door for the return of factions that had been out of the political limelight, such as Christian groupings.
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And how many spies and plants and loyalists to the syrians are left in place?
Finally!
Never thought I'd see the day.
Now we wait for the May elections to see if a real Lebanese government will be elected.
Then its Hezbollah. Then the Syrians are sure to stir up much trouble behind the scenes.
Lots of work yet remaining before we see Lebanon go back to its old roots of being the business and banking centre and the "Paris" of the Middle East.
Far too many, but freedom can no longer be crushed in Lebanon. The next phase is neutralizing Hezbollah. As long as Iran continues supplying Hizbollah with arms & funds this will remain a problem for Lebanon.
The solution to a complete isolation of Syria & Hezbollah is the removal of the current mullah controlled Iranian dictatorship.
Still a long way to go for the full withdrawal, and for the fact that syrians should be convinced to respect this new situation.
Syrian regular units (T-54 tanks and Air Defense) are coming back to the lebanese territory South East of Baalbeck through dirt roads across the border, under the flag of palestinian organizations. This was widely reported on LBCI TV (http://www.lbcgroup.tv/lbc/en/main/)friday night.
That is exactly how the war started in Lebanon in the first place in the early seventies. That is how Syria is sending 'foreign' combattants to Irak.
Beware of the Syrian deceipt!
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