Monday, July 9, 2007
No need to imagine, Meryl Yourish and Michael Totten are noting that Syrian troops have already gone three kilometers into Lebanon and set up positions, they have ordered their nationals out of Lebanon, removed checkpoints on the Golan and made other, more definitive, threats.
Syria can, apparently, get away with just about anything. I could hardly blame Assad at this point if he believes, after such an astonishing non-response, that he can reconquer Beirut. So far he can kill and terrorize and invade and destroy with impunity, at least up to a point. What is that point? Has anyone in the U.S., Israel, the Arab League, the European Union, or the United Nations even considered the question?
Also see: MEMRI: Possible Eruption of Violent Crisis in Lebanon After July 15
Brinksmanship from Damascus. And why not?
Update: Speaking openly about it: MEMRI TV: Former Lebanese Minister and Syrian-Ally Wiam Wahhab: Opposition Forces in Lebanon Debate Whether to Take Over the Rule in July or Wait until September. Victory Is in the Opposition's Pocket.
To ask the inevitable rhetorical question, is ANYONE surprised by this? The Syrians and their Iranian masters know that they can do exactly as they please (witness what is going on in Iraq if you don't believe me).
They also know that no matter what they do, Israel and Israel alone will be blamed for however it responds. Since people are expendable to them, what do they have to lose?
BHG