Assad pledges Syrian help for Lebanon

Bottom line is it is moral support. What could Lebanon ask for from Syria? Send troops? LOL

21 posted on 07/15/2006 1:27:03 PM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)

This report from Bahrain tones it down to non-military

Al Assad affirms Syrian solidarity with Lebanon

[url]http://english.bna.bh/?ID=47507[/url]

date: 15 07, 2006

[QUOTE][B]Beirut, July 15, (BNA) Syrian President, Bashar Al Assad, on Saturday, expressed his country's full solidarity with Lebanon and [COLOR="Red"]offered to put all Syrian potentials at its disposal mainly to rescue and treat the injured, ensure food and medicine supplies and help restore the bridges destroyed by Israel[/COLOR].

In a telephone call to Lebanese President, Emile Lahoud, Al Assad also affirmed that Syria would accommodate the refugees and treat them like Syrians. Lahoud valued Al Assad's initiative, affirming that Lebanon will resist to and repel the Israeli aggressions thanks to internal unity and the solidarity of its brotherly and friendly states. [/B][/QUOTE]

22 posted on 07/15/2006 1:27:09 PM PDT by VRWCTexan (History has a long memory - but still repeats itself)

I can't make that mental leap. Yes, in a parliamentary system, Hezbollah registered as a political party and won a few seats. If that makes them part of the government there's not a whole lot Lebanon could do about that. That's the way parliamentary governments work.

But the prime minister of Lebanon has not ordered the Lebanese armed forces to resist Israel. There are no reports of even anti-aircraft fire.

Israel has made it clear that it is going after Hezbollah, although it holds the Lebanese government accountable. And the Lebanese government is accountable to the extent that they didn't launch their own offensive against Hezbollah after the Syrians withdrew.

But I'm not sure they really could have. They don't have a single fixed wing aircraft in their air force.

23 posted on 07/15/2006 1:27:55 PM PDT by Dog Gone

To: brain bleeds red

Thank Bush that Saddamn is not still in power. How bout they give back the soldiers and end this?

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Shalom Israel

24 posted on 07/15/2006 1:28:40 PM PDT by bray (Jeb '08, just to watch their Heads Explode!)

To: brain bleeds red

Thank Bush that Saddamn is not still in power. How bout they give back the soldiers and end this?

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Shalom Israel

25 posted on 07/15/2006 1:28:40 PM PDT by bray (Jeb '08, just to watch their Heads Explode!)

But I'm not sure they really could have. They don't have a single fixed wing aircraft in their air force.

Well, luckily Israel's got tons of those...

26 posted on 07/15/2006 1:30:20 PM PDT by brain bleeds red

To: brain bleeds red

Most posters won't grasp the article for this thread. Astute readers, however, may notice that Assad is pledging aid to Lebanon while refusing to talk about Hezbollah. These are the sorts of details that most readers filter out of their brains.

Israel is smashing Hezbollah...Lebanon's military is not involved on either side. This distinction is too complex for most people to grasp, however. It means that Assad is noting that there is a difference between Lebanese and Hezbollah (who are Palestinian immigrants, mostly illegals).

Put in more simple terms, Assad would be seen as aiding the war if he sided with Hezbollah. Siding with Lebanon, however, means nothing in the current war because the Lebanese military is neutral.

27 posted on 07/15/2006 1:35:20 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)

Foxnews had one of those bottom banners that said Iran was sending 100 troops....I think they were just trying to cover the discovery that they were already there.

28 posted on 07/15/2006 1:36:48 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)

To: brain bleeds red

29 posted on 07/15/2006 1:37:17 PM PDT by RobRoy (The Internet is doing to Evolution what it did to Dan Rather. Information is power.)

To: brain bleeds red

The Lebanese government is in a bit of a predicament. They obviously don't like seeing their infrastructure blown up, but they don't really like Hezbollah, either. They see them as a foreign shadow army in their country, which they are.

Moving aggressively against them not only has logistical problems, but might spark a civil war again. So, I think they're willing to accept the damage while Israel does the job. But there's no way they're enjoying what's going on.

30 posted on 07/15/2006 1:39:40 PM PDT by Dog Gone

To: brain bleeds red

This thing keeps slowly and surely ratcheting up...

31 posted on 07/15/2006 1:39:50 PM PDT by Thrusher ("...there is no peace without victory.")

To: Bigh4u2; Dog Gone; brain bleeds red; Billthedrill; NormsRevenge; Marine_Uncle; Grampa Dave; ...

I am just trying to get back in the flow , so this may be old news....

***************************************

From earlier this morning,...and the Captain's Quarters:

Israel Issues Ultimatum To Syria

******************************************** AN EXCERPT **********************************

Perhaps sensing a leadership vacuum in Damascus based on the odd report yesterday that Bashar Assad did not participate in a Ba'ath Party leadership conference, Israel has issued an ultimatum to Syria demanding the return of its soldiers and the end to Hezbollah activity along the border. If Syria does not comply within 72 hours, an Arabic newspaper reported, Israel will launch a major attack against Syria:

The London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Saturday that “Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.”
The report said “a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.”
Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that “the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria,” this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to “refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties."

Last night the Syrians declared their solidarity with Hezbollah and warned Israel that it would not allow Hezbollah to fail in the latest war. That statement of alliance has obviously prompted Israel to call their bluff, and the silence of Bashar Assad will now get more attention. It is more than passingly strange that a nation would openly ally itself with another nation or group engaged in war on another nation without that statement coming from the head of state. It is inconceivable that such a policy announcement would occur in a dictatorship without the dictator himself being involved.

The Ba'athists in Syria may have been serious, but it seems more likely that they wanted to bluff Israel and the global community with what appears to be a rather empty threat. The Syrian military could not match up against the Israelis when they controlled Lebanon, and without Saddam Hussein as a backstop, they don't have a prayer now. Unlike Hezbollah, they actually have territory to lose, and they no longer control the strategic Golan Heights.

32 posted on 07/15/2006 1:43:00 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)

To: Southack; Dog Gone

Last night the Syrians declared their solidarity with Hezbollah and warned Israel that it would not allow Hezbollah to fail in the latest war.

I don't know where CQ gets that.....anyone know?

33 posted on 07/15/2006 1:47:05 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Israel has denied giving that ultimatum.

34 posted on 07/15/2006 1:47:28 PM PDT by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marylin vos Savant)

To: brain bleeds red

Israel is attacking the wrong country.

35 posted on 07/15/2006 1:48:11 PM PDT by Hugin

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Now I see this on CQ:

****************************************

UPDATE: Israel denies the report (h/t: Michael van der Galien at TMV):

Responding to a report in a pan-Arab daily newspaper that Israel presented Damascus with an ultimatum, an Israel Defense Forces officer said Saturday that targeting Syria is currently not on Israel's agenda.
"We're not a gang that shoots in every direction," the officer said. "It won't be right to bring Syria into the campaign."

36 posted on 07/15/2006 1:48:45 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)

To: monkapotamus

Judging by the snout on that roasting animal on the pike...that ain't no pig. Is it?

37 posted on 07/15/2006 1:49:13 PM PDT by DCPatriot ("It aint what you don't know that kills you. It's what you know that aint so" Theodore Sturgeon)

38 posted on 07/15/2006 1:49:38 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)

To: monkapotamus

39 posted on 07/15/2006 1:50:33 PM PDT by demkicker (democrats and terrorists are intimate bedfellows)

Israel has denied giving that ultimatum.Israel has denied giving that ultimatum.

If true, then the Israeli leadership are wimps.

But I have nothing but respect for IDF.

40 posted on 07/15/2006 1:52:24 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL)

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