Rumors of coup in Syria false

First-hand Report ^ | 03/17/2005 | Robert Mayer

[Robert Mayer]

The rumor of a possible military coup in Syria originated at The Lebanese Foundation for Peace.

Just got an email back from Joshua Landis from Syria Comment, who is inside Damascus.

Dear Robert, Someone has a rich imagination. All is normal here as far as I can tell. Sunny spring day and everyone is bustling about happily. The military attaché at the US embassy just emailed me about what he should wear to dinner tonight - casual or formal? Didn't suggest bullet proof vest, so I assume all is normal.

Best to you from Damascus. Joshua

DOUBLE DENIAL: Sasa from The Syrian News Wire emails me this:

Hi Robert, You just made my heart miss a few hundred beats. Everything quiet here, nothing from anyone I've spoken to in the last few minutes. And it would be hard to cover up anyway, with the number of foreign journalists here at the moment. Who on Earth fed you such a gorgeous nightmare? S.

Nothing to see here, folks. Or there, for that matter. She also has a little info about the LFP which is worth noting:

Ohhhhh. Thanks for the info Robert! Word of warning. Take anything that comes out of LFP with a bucket full of salt. They are the post-Phalange group (the Israeli army's proxy in Lebanon during the Civil War). Unfortuantely, as much as I support the Lebanese Opposition movement inside Lebanon, the outsiders (like LFP and other American based organisations) have a very different agenda to the real, nationalist independent opposition (like Walid Jumblatt - he's even called for a dialogue with Hizbollah and close relationship with Syria, even keeping some troops in if there's no political interference).

[Robert Mayer]

Trying to clear up the controversy. Hope this helps everyone.

[d-informed-1]

knew the reports couldn't be true, but we all need to smile once in a while

[evets]

Nothing to see here folks...

... move along, please.

[doug from upland]

How surprising. George Noory on COAST TO COAST got one wrong. Well, that's okay. We still can count on him for ghosts, shadow people, time travel, faces on Mars, the Philadelphia Experiment, and predicting earthquakes.

[SmithL]

What a surprise.

[Peach]

ping

[freedomson]

We still can count on him for ghosts, shadow people, time travel, faces on Mars, the Philadelphia Experiment, and predicting earthquakes.

Sounds like somebody is a loyal listener!

[Heatseeker]

You beat me by ten minutes. I was sure it was bogus and was waiting for some of the local bloggers to comment.

Nevertheless, the mere fact it got published and became what one called a "gorgeous nightmare" says a lot about how fragile everyone thinks the Syrian regime is right now.

[doug from upland]

It is the only thing on when I go to bed so I fall asleep with an earplug in my ear. It actually puts me to sleep very quickly.