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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Jumblatt calls for Russian help to probe Hariri killing

2005-03-10

Boy howdy, that'll help.

MOSCOW - Key Lebanese opposition figure Walid Jumblatt has called for Russian help to investigate the murder of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported on Thursday. "The official authorities are not investigating and are keeping evidence from us. We do not trust them," Jumblatt said upon his arrival in Moscow late Wednesday, adding that he hoped Russia "would support an international independent investigation of Hariri's murder".

"We rely on Russian help," as Hariri was "a friend of Russia," Jumblatt added.

Of course he was, he was a billionaire.

Jumblatt, who is due to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as well as the heads of the Russian parliament's international relations commissions Mikhail Margelov and Konstantin Kosachev, also reiterated his call for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon by May. "The Lebanese people want to be free," Jumblatt said.

Posted by:Steve White

#13 Fish and visitors stink in three days. -- Ben Franklin

Posted by: Tom 2005-03-10 8:46:13 PM

#12 To keep the Syrians out, to keep them from messing it up.

Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-03-10 2:49:09 PM

#11 If it was so good in the 50s why did Eisenhower need to send in the Marines?

Posted by: 3dc 2005-03-10 2:15:38 PM

#10 Away from Syria and over to Russia? Despite the geographical distance, I wonder if Russian presence would be even harder to evict than the Syrian one -- Georgia and Moldova have discovered the danger of letting Russian troops in for example. Houseguests that awfully delay their departure.

Now Jumblatt's doesn't seem to be inviting Russian *troops* to replace the Syrian ones, but I definitely have to wonder whether that'll be the next step, after this seeming effort to present Russia as a party friendly to all.

I had wondered what the game of Russia was, and why the hell they would join such calls to have Syria withdraw from Lebanon -- with a few Russia-paid politicians like Jumblatt they may put their own camel's nose in the tent, rather than have to rely on Syrian proxies.

Posted by: Aris Katsaris 2005-03-10 1:19:56 PM

#9 I admire your willingness to believe in the goodness of just about everyone, LH.

whom are you referring to - i said i dont trust Jumblatt, and i said Hariri was unsavory. I dont believe in the "goodness" of either. Not everyone has to be good to be useful.

Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-03-10 12:58:08 PM

#8 Opinion

If you accept the notion that Syria probally killed Hariri (99%), then on that basis alone I believe that Harri represented something good for Lebanon....as for old Wally J.... he's a tricky little devil with Cajones.

Posted by: Angash Elmailet3776 2005-03-10 12:01:21 PM

#7 I admire your willingness to believe in the goodness of just about everyone, LH.

Posted by: 2b 2005-03-10 10:18:36 AM

#6 1. I dont much trust Wally either, but hes led the Druze over to the anti-Syrian side. Thats a BIG deal. The lefties are already trying to use the Hezb rally to portray the Cedar revolution as just maneuvering by the "fascist Maronites" against the poor oppressed muslims. Jumblatt makes it hard to do that. I really hope he does NOT fall down a flight of stairs, not till theres an alternative Druze leadership that seems reasonable.

2. Hariri was a businessman and a player, he had lots of friends. He still managed to play a big role in rebuildig Lebanon, and when he way Syria overreaching, he turned on them. Look, if you cant dirty your hands with dealing with unsavory types, youd be better going with either the Chomsky crowd or the Buchanan crowd, and withdraw completely from the region.

3. Yup, Lebanon was a French colony. And remained under French influence in the '50s and '60s. And yah, know, it was a good place back then, all in all. Economic bright spot of the arab world, without oil. The Maronites were favored, but it was far freer than anyplace else in the arab world. It stood with us against USSR backed Syria, and in 1967, when even Jordan attacked Israel, Lebanon did not. We could do far worse then to let it go back to French sphere of influence - in any case the main thing now is to move it out of the Syrian sphere - give the dream of Greater Syria its death blow.

And of course, put Hezbollah in its place, as far as possible.

Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-03-10 10:01:12 AM

#5 Lebannon was a frog colony. Plenty of people there still speak frog and read a lot of frog trash. Remember what happened the last time we got involved with a frog colony. Let's get the Syrians out and not let one GI go in. They're not going to be our friends, but aqt least if they're a democracy they'll be less likely to shoot at us.

Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-03-10 9:50:10 AM

#4 Hariri - friend of Chirac, friend of Saudi Royal Family and friend of Russia. Are we sure that we are sorry this guy is dead?

Posted by: 2b 2005-03-10 9:19:42 AM

#3 I have faith that he should fall down a steep long set of stairs.

He and his dad's milita are part of the reson we are where we are today. No thanks Walid. Your mouth and "help" Lebanon can do with out.

Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-03-10 6:29:29 AM

#2 âWe rely on Russian help,â as Hariri was âa friend of Russia,â Jumblatt added.

Lol! Bullshit. He was a much better friend of CP Abdullah of Saudi - why don't you call them for help?

Wally is not the man to lead Lebanon out of the fog - he's the Old Way - the Civil War waiting to be reborn, I fear. I'd prefer he pulled an Arafart and croaked - with assistance, if needed - as he seems to be the Leb equivalent.

Anyone have any faith he will do any good?

Posted by: .com 2005-03-10 6:19:50 AM

#1 If he knows what he's doing and it works, it's a work of art.

Posted by: Dishman 2005-03-10 4:00:32 AM

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