US Wants Syria out of Lebanon

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-09-01 12:39am

http://www.bakersfield.com/24hour/world ... 8255c.html

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United States is calling for the immediate withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon, according to a a draft resolution circulated in the U.N. Security Council late Tuesday.

The new measure also offers support for elections under the current Lebanese constitution, which would rule out a second term for pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.

The United States decided to press for a resolution - with the support of France, Lebanon's former colonial ruler - after what many saw as a Syrian-engineered move to change the constitution to extend Lahoud's term.

The resolution calls on the council "to consider additional measures," which are not specified, if the Syrians and Lebanese don't comply.

Lebanon accused the United States and France Tuesday of trying to "blackmail" it and Syria, and create trouble between Beirut and Damascus.

U.S. deputy ambassador Anne Patterson said the United States wants the Security Council to vote on the draft resolution "hopefully by Wednesday or Thursday." But the draft is almost certain to face opposition from Algeria, the only Arab nation on the council, and probably from Russia and China, which traditionally oppose council interference in a country's internal affairs.

In Washington, the Bush administration sharply criticized Syria for meddling in Lebanon's politics, and a senior U.S. diplomat was likely to go to Damascus for high-level talks.

But Lebanese Foreign Minister Jean Obeid said Lebanese-Syrian relations are a matter for both countries to decide. He said Lebanon "completely separates between dealing with our internal affairs and international attempts at blackmail with the aim of fomenting a dispute between us and our brothers (in Syria)."

Syria's involvement in Lebanon dates back to 1976, when it sent its troops to Lebanon to help quell a year-old civil war that raged on for another 14 years. The West tolerated its control and even credited Syria with securing stability.

But since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Western nations have been calling for democracy to take hold in the Arab world as a way to fight extremism - and President Bush's administration has repeatedly accused Syria of sponsoring terrorism.

The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, calls for "the strict respect of Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence."

It "demands that Syrian forces withdraw without delay from Lebanon" and declares the Security Council's "support for a free and fair electoral process in Lebanon's upcoming presidential election conducted according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence."

The Lebanese Cabinet last week approved an amendment to the constitution to allow Lahoud to stay in power three more years.

Parliament, instead of voting for a new president for the next six years, will have to vote on an extension to Lahoud's term, which expires Nov. 24. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called late Tuesday for a meeting of the 128-member legislature on Friday to amend the constitution to extend Lahoud's term.

The draft resolution asks Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report on implementation within 30 days. It was not drafted under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter, so military action would not be an option.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry said in a letter to the Security Council that U.N. action would be "a dangerous precedent."

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-09-01 02:15am

FREE LEBANON!

JME2 · Post by **JME2** » 2004-09-01 02:37am

CaptainChewbacca wrote:FREE LEBANON!

Just in time for the 2004 election, we'll be spreading freedom to another country.

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2004-09-01 05:48am

Fair enough too, no nation should try and run anothers affairs, the UN is quite correct to end this travesty that has gone on for far too long. *

*This comment does not apply to the USA, who is, naturally, beyoned to its own standards

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2004-09-01 07:11am

To qoute Jay Leno

"Last week, it was revealed George bush was prouncing Iraq wrong. Turns out he meant Syria"

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-01 09:19am

Solauren wrote:To qoute Jay Leno

"Last week, it was revealed George bush was prouncing Iraq wrong. Turns out he meant Syria"

I wonder which Israeli spy came up with that one.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-09-01 09:37am

Elfdart wrote:
Solauren wrote:To qoute Jay Leno

"Last week, it was revealed George bush was prouncing Iraq wrong. Turns out he meant Syria"
I wonder which Israeli spy came up with that one.

...

Well that just came out of left field.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-01 09:49am

Rogue 9 wrote:
Elfdart wrote:
Solauren wrote:To qoute Jay Leno

"Last week, it was revealed George bush was prouncing Iraq wrong. Turns out he meant Syria"
I wonder which Israeli spy came up with that one.
...

Well that just came out of left field.

Not keeping up with current events are we? The FBI just "flipped" Franklin and he's singing like a bird. Israel's agents have been trying to goad this country into a war with Iran for some time and Syria is next on the hit list.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-09-01 09:53am

Elfdart wrote:
Rogue 9 wrote:
Elfdart wrote: I wonder which Israeli spy came up with that one.
...

Well that just came out of left field.
Not keeping up with current events are we? The FBI just "flipped" Franklin and he's singing like a bird. Israel's agents have been trying to goad this country into a war with Iran for some time and Syria is next on the hit list.

I know about the spy captured, but I also know that you can't attribute everything to Israel. I mean come on, that's just ridiculous.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-09-01 10:07am

Rogue 9! How could you say that?! You know that Israel's responsible for everything we do! All hail Ariel Sharon!

Get a grip, people. The United States has plenty of reason to want to tighten the screws on Syrian thumbs without bringing Israel into the argument - namely because of the questionable nature of border crossings between that country and Iraq during the most recent war.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-01 08:38pm

Axis Kast wrote:Rogue 9! How could you say that?! You know that Israel's responsible for everything we do! All hail Ariel Sharon!

Get a grip, people. The United States has plenty of reason to want to tighten the screws on Syrian thumbs without bringing Israel into the argument - namely because of the questionable nature of border crossings between that country and Iraq during the most recent war.

You mean the rumors that Uday and Qusay fled to Syria with all those WMDs? Kast, are you Laurie Mylroie?

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-09-02 09:31pm

The United States and France introduced a Security Council resolution Wednesday demanding that 20,000 Syrian troops "withdraw without delay" from Lebanon and that Syria stop meddling in the country's November elections. It threatens to consider unspecified "additional measures" against Syria to ensure compliance.

The resolution reflects mounting frustration by Washington and Paris that Syria is seeking to rewrite Lebanon's constitution to guarantee that the country's pro-Syrian leader, President Emile Lahoud, can remain in power after his six-year term ends on Nov. 24.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-09-03 02:56am

The U.N. Security Council Thursday approved 9-0 a resolution demanding Syria, without mentioning it by name, withdraw its troops from Lebanon.

Abstaining were Algeria, Brazil, China, Pakistan, the Philippines and Russia.

The measure was introduced by France and the United States and co-sponsored by Britain and Germany in reaction to Damascus pressuring Beirut to extend pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud's term in office.

There are about 15,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon. Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon four years ago. Damascus says Beirut requested the Syrian troops' presence in Lebanon.

The measure calls upon all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon and the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias.

Faisal Mekdad, Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, said: We regret that the valuable time of the Security Council has been spent in vain on discussing issues that are not of its jurisdiction.

He added, The resolution has become merely an expression of interference in an internal affair of a country and an electoral process that the council is not being asked to consider

Bertie Wooster · Post by **Bertie Wooster** » 2004-09-03 01:46pm

That's interesting that the US and France found something to work together on regarding the Middle East. Maybe we're seeing Paris and Washington getting more amicable after that large rift regarding the Iraq invasion.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-09-03 02:49pm

Faisal Mekdad, Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, said: We regret that the valuable time of the Security Council has been spent in vain on discussing issues that are not of its jurisdiction.

He added, The resolution has become merely an expression of interference in an internal affair of a country and an electoral process that the council is not being asked to consider

I bet we can MAKE it our jurisdiction real fast.

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2004-09-03 03:39pm

Faisal Mekdad, Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, said: We regret that the valuable time of the Security Council has been spent in vain on discussing issues that are not of its jurisdiction.

He added, The resolution has become merely an expression of interference in an internal affair of a country and an electoral process that the council is not being asked to consider

That's funny, since Syria wants the Lebanese president, Emile Lahoud, to stay in power even though the Lebanese constitution forbids him to run for a second term.

RedX · Post by **RedX** » 2004-09-03 05:11pm

Mange the Swede wrote:That's funny, since Syria wants the Lebanese president, Emile Lahoud, to stay in power even though the Lebanese constitution forbids him to run for a second term.

Quislings, natch.

As for the UN Resolution...

Good idea in principle, but certainly lacking in solid enforcement. If the US Army were some 2-300,000 soliders bigger, it would get the point across a little better.

Much like the situation in Iraq: Good principles, execution screwed all to hell.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-09-03 05:39pm

You mean the rumors that Uday and Qusay fled to Syria with all those WMDs? Kast, are you Laurie Mylroie?

No, I mean the passage of unidentified vehicles across the border, unimpeded, during the recent war, as confirmed by then-ISG head David Kay. Nice try, though. You're just jumping to defend everyone, no matter how slimy, aren't you?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-09-03 11:52pm

Axis Kast wrote: No, I mean the passage of unidentified vehicles across the border, unimpeded, during the recent war, as confirmed by then-ISG head David Kay. Nice try, though. You're just jumping to defend everyone, no matter how slimy, aren't you?

*Breaking news!*

Vehicles from an invaded country went to another country in a military conflict! Such movement of modes of transportation unseen since ... every war ... ever. Moving right along.

As some guy said in some film I don't remember, you sure do have a way of obscuring the obvious and making the trivial momentous.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-09-04 09:20am

Vehicles from an invaded country went to another country in a military conflict! Such movement of modes of transportation unseen since ... every war ... ever. Moving right along.

Vehicles which we cannot now track. Vehicles that David Kay admits he had interest in. Vehicles whose movement that Syria did nothing to impede.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2004-09-04 09:55am

Axis Kast wrote:
Vehicles from an invaded country went to another country in a military conflict! Such movement of modes of transportation unseen since ... every war ... ever. Moving right along.
Vehicles which we cannot now track. Vehicles that David Kay admits he had interest in. Vehicles whose movement that Syria did nothing to impede.

Vehicles which offer zero evidence of anything.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-04 06:37pm

Axis Kast wrote:
You mean the rumors that Uday and Qusay fled to Syria with all those WMDs? Kast, are you Laurie Mylroie?

No, I mean the passage of unidentified vehicles across the border, unimpeded, during the recent war, as confirmed by then-ISG head David Kay. Nice try, though. You're just jumping to defend everyone, no matter how slimy, aren't you?

Re: My second question...

I'll take that as a "yes".

Re: Your question...

I haven't defended you yet.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-09-04 08:19pm

Vehicles which offer zero evidence of anything.

And yet whose passage was cited by both David Kay and Charles Duelfer as being of key interest in the search for weapons of mass destruction and related information. As I said before, we have plenty of reason to want to turn the screws on Syria.

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2004-09-04 08:56pm

Bertie Wooster wrote:That's interesting that the US and France found something to work together on regarding the Middle East. Maybe we're seeing Paris and Washington getting more amicable after that large rift regarding the Iraq invasion.

Well France does like to dabble around with their former satellites thinking they are still in control to some degree.

Axis Kast · Post by **Axis Kast** » 2004-09-04 10:41pm

Most former colonial powers do that to some degree or another, owing to the large immigrant populations from and former economic ties with former territories.