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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Assad: WeÂ’ll liberate Golan Heights
2006-08-15
Syrian President Bashar Assad said his country is prepared for any war that may break out with Israel , adding that he is convinced that the chances for peace have decreased and that “the Golan Heights will be liberated by Syria.”

In a special interview with Egyptian newspaper Al-Osboa, Assad said “if Israel launches a war against Syria, it will pay a heavy price.”
Sure, Pencilneck, you and what army?
He said Syria has been following Israel closely, particularly after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon came to power. “The fact that he was elected by such a large majority attests to the fact that the Israeli nation does not want peace,” Assad said.
They got a little tired of splodydopes ...
“Syria and the resistance (referring to Hizbullah ) read the situation correctly in that we predicted the confrontation. There have been extensive preparations for the current battle. Our disagreement focused on the nature of the resistance. There were those who thought the resistance didn’t stand a chance in a time when satellites reveal everything, track everything down and can direct severe blows at the resistance, but the reality proved otherwise.

“In Lebanon they (Israel) destroyed everything, but they were unable to achieve their true military objectives on the ground; the resistance has won the war, and now we must win the diplomatic battle as well.”

Referring to the international community’s intervention in the conflict, President Assad said “they intervene only when Israel is in pain; but when the Lebanese, Palestinians and others suffer – no one intervenes.”
There does seem to be a lack of sympathy for the Hezbies, wonder why?
Assad took the opportunity to praise Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah , describing him as “a unique commander in the history of the noble Lebanese resistance’; he also lauded Hizbullah TV station Al-Manar, saying it was the first time that the Arab media ‘defeated’ the enemy’s. “The US and Israeli intelligence agencies are unaware of the resistance’s real capabilities,” he said, adding that he had rejected “lucrative offers” presented to him on condition that he abandon Hizbullah and Hamas.

Assad said “there were those who believed that peace (with Israel) was the only option and they attempted to enforce it upon the Arab nation, but the resistance’s firm stand and the change we see in the Arab world, due to which we can see millions of youngsters waving the Hizbullah and resistance flags, have proven that this nation is on the brink of a new phase in its history.”
Posted by:Steve White

#37  "Kill the one" and "destroy the other", you people say in your frustration, but when your leaders won't follow those pieces of advice (and they most definitely won't, and I'm quite sure you know it), will any of you criticize those inactions?

I doubt it. I think most of you will just blame the "Eurabians" instead, or the media, or some "leftist intellectuals" -- namely all the people *except* the ones that had the power to act or not act.

These from the people that claim to believe in personal responsibility.

Once upon a time I told you all that it was Syria (not Iraq) that should have been invaded, that it was an active imperialism whereas Iraq was a contained one, that Syria's occupation would be easier due to its smaller size, that its democratization would have been easier due to its more homogeneous population, that the benefits would have been immediate due to to the relief of Lebanon and Israel, both under external pressure from Syria.

But you didn't listen. So, now reap the fruits of your idiocy -- or rather you won't reap those fruits, it's Israel and Lebanon that have been sadly reaping them. And the American soldiers you sent to your fool's expedition, ofcourse. It's always the innocent that suffer when the idiots mess up.

I can even offer suggestions for the proper course of action from now on, and they won't be of the ludicrous variety like "Smash Iran" -- you *can't* smash Iran, while its agents have you by the balls throughout Iraq and everyone knows it. And you can't even smash Syria anymore either, as you don't have the troops to send there anymore. That ship has sailed.

But you won't bother to listen to those suggestions either, and your leaders don't plan to follow any half-sane policy if it would cause them to lose face in the slightest degree. (Just like any other bully, the Bush government doesn't give a damn about moral standing, but it does give a lot of damn about face. So they're just hoping that they'll keep things together long enough, that the utter failure of the Iraqi expedition will only become undeniably visible even to die-hard Republicans during a Democrat Presidency. Then they'll blame the failure on that administration, not the one that actually originated and guided the insanity.)

PS: Some admin seems to have messed up and unbanned me. Really, if you don't want the sort of commentary like the one I just made, you should just ban me again. Cheers, all.
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2006-08-15 18:22  

#36  No with a dentist it has to be Laughing Gas.
Posted by: 3dc   2006-08-15 22:34  

#35  Zippy into the ether again?
Posted by: tu3031   2006-08-15 22:13  

#34  An obvious slip of the forked tongue. I think he meant to say "the souls of many Syrians will be liberated" on the Golan.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-08-15 20:46  

#33  Â“the Golan Heights will be liberated by Syria.”

To paraphrase the HAL9000 computer: "Without an Air Force, Bashar, I'm afraid you're going to find that rather difficult".
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-08-15 20:44  

#32  AB
Posted by: Frank G   2006-08-15 19:59  

#31  New guy in town. Y'all be polite now, he's packin'.
Posted by: lotp   2006-08-15 19:58  

#30  Wow, I wonder who the Golden Rod modi is that nailed our western Turkey buddy.
Posted by: 6   2006-08-15 19:57  

#29  He always conditions his bombast statements with ..."if we are attacked"

What a coward. If attacked, of course they would react (and lose)
Posted by: Captain America   2006-08-15 19:47  

#28  Unfortunately, Aris Katsaris has a history here. While he does make some good points, he tends toward a hectoring morality that blames the US in general, and Rantburgers specifically, for failing to achieve perfection on his terms. This is a shame, because he came here as a Greek college lad who really loved America and Americans, however unrealistically. Even serving his year as a draftee in the Greek Army post-PhD (in computer programming, I think) did not help him view the world more realistically. Fred banned him several times in the hope that giving him what essentially was a "time out" would calm him enough that he could take part in discussions without all involved going ballistic, but clearly he has chosen polarization. Google his name to find the weblog he kept for several years, and may yet for all I know, if you want to know more of his views, or search the archives beyond the past year. Aris is actually one of the earlier contributors to Rantburg, and he had interesting things to say about the Greek and European views on things until his carping became... unhelpful.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-08-15 19:08  

#27  Actually, Aris does pretty well for a Turk.
Posted by: SR-71   2006-08-15 18:59  

#26  True.
Posted by: remoteman   2006-08-15 18:55  

#25  But arrogantly and gratuitously insulting the whole RB community is what he does best.
Posted by: whitecollar redneck   2006-08-15 18:52  

#24  Well, the banning buttons still work if need be.
Posted by: lotp   2006-08-15 18:49  

#23  Give Aris an inch and the 100 comments are not far behind.:)
Posted by: djohn66   2006-08-15 18:49  

#22  The mod who redacted that comment did not ban Aris. He is free to answer your question, providing he can do it without immediately, arrogantly and gratuitously insulting the whole RB community.

For my part, I think there were several very sound reasons for starting with Iraq, both in terms of the threat it presented and in terms of the potential for a hard-won new paradigm in the region. Others are of course free to differ, so long as it is done productively and without immediate insults.
Posted by: lotp   2006-08-15 18:45  

#21  But I guess the moderators would not.
Posted by: remoteman   2006-08-15 18:39  

#20  Aris, I see nothing wrong with the comments you made. I might not agree with all of them, but nothing wrong with saying them.

I don't know if Syria would have been any easier to go into than Iraq. Assad was not the monster nor the visible regional threat that Saddam was at the time. Going into Lebanon and Syria would have required world buy in on the nation building exercise. That would have been a huge stretch.

Iraq has lots and lots of problems, of this there is no doubt. But Iraq also consumes lots of Iran's attention and resources. The mullahs aren't having everything their way there and the violence is relatively contained geographically. That one ain't over yet by any stretch.

Anyway, hindsight is easy. I would be interested to hear what you think should be done henceforth.
Posted by: remoteman   2006-08-15 18:37  

#19  somebody nail the doggy door shut - the vermin are coming in
Posted by: Frank G   2006-08-15 18:27  

#18  
Redacted by moderator. Comments may be redacted for trolling, violation of standards of good manners, or plain stupidity. Please correct the condition that applies and try again. Contents may be viewed in the
sinktrap. Further violations may result in
banning.
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2006-08-15 18:22  

#17  He´s right now, it's nearer.
Peretz says he wants to negociate Golan. I dont stop to be suprised by Israeli Governemnt stupidity. So Peretz want to negociate from a weakned position...Brilliant!
Posted by: Clerert Uneamp2772   2006-08-15 18:09  

#16  Why is this moron still consuming oxygen? His continued existence is an affront to all decency.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-08-15 17:49  

#15  That what I can't stand about this POS. Don't get me wrong I hate the hizzys, but I have more respect for them then I do this POS at least they took their beating and did fight, this POS just hid under his bed until the fighting was over.
Posted by: djohn66   2006-08-15 16:40  

#14  Assad: WeÂ’ll liberate Golan Heights


Damascus, after he tries...
Posted by: BigEd   2006-08-15 16:35  

#13  He may be right. Syria would get a victory like Lebanon. Not one stone atop another in the whole country when they come out of their bunkers.
Posted by: RWV   2006-08-15 12:21  

#12  Good points, Perfesser. I like it!
Posted by: Bobby   2006-08-15 09:37  

#11  Syria is the lesser of the three stooges nowdays.
Posted by: DarthVader   2006-08-15 09:27  

#10  I think we can all relax now that Syria has shown itself to be singularly inept militarily. They had a chance to attack Israel in Lebanon in the name of defending Lebanese sovereignty; they didn't. They had a chance to support Hezbollah where it counts when they needed it most; they didn't. They had a chance to attack the Golan Heights as Israel was waging a 2-front war; they didn't. Bunch of wimps.
Posted by: Perfesser   2006-08-15 09:24  

#9  Hear that, Olmert? Peace at any price? See what being considerate gets you?

Mebbe they really believe the Hizzies will blow it up again, and this is all part of the sinister Zionist plot....
Posted by: Bobby   2006-08-15 06:18  

#8  Destry Iran now.
Posted by: SR-71   2006-08-15 05:41  

#7  Assad, as long as you're playing "The Gimp" to Iran, you should know that just because they opened the zipper doesn't necessarily mean it's time for you to talk . . . .
Posted by: gorb   2006-08-15 05:34  

#6  Where would this twerp be without Iran?

Where would we be without Iran?
Posted by: Snease Shaiting3550   2006-08-15 05:30  

#5  What Air Force was it again that buzzed his office a few weeks back? Wahhahahahaa.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-08-15 03:37  

#4  Assad > the Syrian people's only two choices vv Radical Iran is to either become a de facto future Iranian province, or be like like North Korea and pretend Beijing = Tehran doesn't control Syria, OR ANY OTHER ME/ME MUSLIM NATION(S) FOR THAT MATTER. Whatever good = bad your father did in life, IMO he was never for Syria or the Syrian people being controlled by any foreign nation. MadMoud-Mullahs may be Islamist, and Muslim, but they are NOT for any ME Muslim nation being uncontrolled by Tehran. Any defeat or destruction of Israel does NOT mean Syria, etal Muslim states get to keep their sovereignty.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-08-15 02:20  

#3  Syrian Army will resemble the Gorilla Army invading the "Forbidden Zone"...'cept this time there will be no Dr. Zeuss to stop the panic...POTA Rules! Syria Sucks! 40 year old Russian surplus not up to the task...
Posted by: borgboy   2006-08-15 01:50  

#2  ROFL.

Is there a more perfect example of the Mouse That Roared on the planet?

Back to your bunker, bitch.
Posted by: flyover   2006-08-15 01:48  

#1  STFU and sit down little man.
Posted by: djohn66   2006-08-15 00:15  

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