"Syrian, Saudi leaders visit Lebanon; Ex-foes display unity on trip to avert violence" by Elizabeth A. Kennedy, Associated Press | July 31, 2010
BEIRUT — The leaders of Syria and Saudi Arabia, once bitter rivals, made an unprecedented show of cooperation yesterday, traveling together to Lebanon in hopes of preventing any violence if members of a militant group are indicted in the 2005 assassination of a former Lebanese prime minister.
The unusual joint visit by President Bashar Assad of Syria and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia underscored the depth of Arab concern over potential chaos in Lebanon.
Who would want to bring that to Lebanon?
See: Barak Bears Warnings to U.S.
Oh, right.
Many people fear that indictments of Hezbollah members could spark clashes between Lebanon’s Sunnis and Shi’ites, or that Hezbollah’s nemesis Israel could be pulled into a conflict, causing wider turmoil.
They can only hope, huh?
And why are they indicting the wrong men?
See: Israel's Dirty Games
Oh, right, U.N. again.
And how come Israel's daily violations of the no-fly zone is not a problem?
The summit also consecrated both countries’ roles as power brokers in the region, where Syria is an ally of Iran and Saudi Arabia generally supports the United States....
But THIS TIME they are BOTH STANDING TOGETHER against USrael.
The king and Assad walked side by side down the staircase from a Saudi jet at Beirut’s airport and entered talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, President Michel Suleiman and other officials. The leader of Hezbollah did not take part, but Hezbollah Cabinet ministers were on hand.
It was Assad’s first visit to Lebanon in eight years. The highway from Beirut’s airport into the city was lined with Syrian and Saudi flags, as well as banners with Assad’s picture that proclaimed “Welcome among your family.’’ Those words were a stark contrast to the bitterness many Lebanese vented at Syria when it was forced to withdraw its military in 2005, ending a nearly three-decade hold.
Few details about the discussions emerged. After the meeting, Lebanon, Syria, and Saudi Arabia issued a joint statement that urged all parties to put Lebanon’s interests above all else and refrain from violence.
“Solidarity is a necessity, and standing side by side to confront challenges facing the Arab world,’’ they said.
The crisis centers on the international tribunal investigating the assassination of Hariri’s father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, in a Valentine’s Day truck bombing in 2005. Indictments are expected this year.
The Netherlands-based tribunal has not said who will be charged, but the leader of Hezbollah said last week that he already knows that Hezbollah members will be among them. That could spark riots between the Sunni supporters of Hariri and Shi’ites who largely back Hezbollah.
The two sides have clashed before in their power struggle. In May 2008, Hezbollah gunmen swept through Sunni progovernment neighborhoods of Beirut, raising the threat of a new civil war. The crisis was resolved only after Arab countries mediated a truce and political compromise between the two sides that has tenuously held since.
Many in Lebanon blame Syria for Rafik Hariri’s death, charges that Damascus denies.
And many more blame Israel.
The killing sparked massive anti-Syrian protests in Lebanon, dubbed the Cedar Revolution, which led to the Syrian withdrawal.
And cui bono?
The assassination also deepened a rift between Syria and Saudi Arabia, which each backed rival sides in the ensuing power struggle that nearly tore Lebanon apart: Syria backing a Hezbollah-led coalition, and Saudi Arabia and the United States supporting Saad Hariri’s Sunni-led coalition.
Nothing about the Saudis backing a terrorist uprising, huh?
In recent years, however, Assad and Abdullah have repaired ties and the joint visit was a sign of how much the rift has healed.
In Washington, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the United States hoped that yesterday’s meeting would produce “a recommitment to Lebanese sovereignty’’ and “an understanding to try to restrain those elements within Lebanon who have precipitated conflict in the past.’’
That mean you are going to talk to Israel?
Assad rarely goes to Beirut. His last visit in 2002 was the first by a Syrian leader to the Lebanese capital in nearly three decades. Abdullah also was last in Lebanon in 2002, when he was crown prince.
Hezbollah spokesman Ibrahim Moussawi said the group welcomed the summit.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s July 22 announcement that he expected members of his movement to be indicted appeared to be an attempt to soften the impact of any charges.
And illuminate the fact that any violence will once again be an Israeli-inspired false flag operation.
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Hey, what do you know, another false charge by Israel.
And look who else could be in the mix:
"Mideast diplomacy benefits endangered bird" by Associated Press | August 2, 2010
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The latest beneficiary of improved relations between Turkey and Syria is the rare northern bald ibis....
That makes perfect sense at this point in time, what with Israel attempting a coup and killing Turkish aid workers in international waters on their way to Gaza.
“I think it’s an illustration of warming relations.....,’’ said Chris Bowden, chairman of International Advisory Group for the northern bald ibis.
Yeah, leave it to the Israelis to bring the Muslim world together when they are doing all they can to divide them.
The bird that drew the two nations closer is a strange-looking one, with a red, curved beak, bald head, shaggy black crest and long, skinny legs. It was once commonplace across North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Europe, and centuries ago was so revered by the pharaohs that it had its own hieroglyphic symbol, said Bowden. But habitat loss and hunting have devastated the population in recent decades....
Oh, now you are talking Palestinians.
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I still do not think they got the message.
