Who Seeks to Hinder the Damascus Summit? Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)
 
Tuesday 09 February 2010
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الموقع العربي

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Who Seeks to Hinder the Damascus Summit?

22/02/2008

Tariq Alhomayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the youngest person to be appointed that position. Mr. Alhomayed has an acclaimed and distinguished career as a Journalist and has held many key positions in the field including; Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, Managing Editor of Asharq Al-Awsat in Saudi Arabia, Head of Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper's Bureau-Jeddah, Correspondent for Al - Madina Newspaper in Washington D.C. from 1998 to Aug 2000. Mr. Alhomyed has been a guest analyst and commentator on numerous news and current affair programs including: the BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya, Al- Hurra, LBC and the acclaimed Imad Live’s four-part series on terrorism and reformation in Saudi Arabia. He is also the first Journalist to conduct an interview with Osama Bin Ladin's Mother. Mr. Alhomayed holds a BA degree in Media studies from King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, and has also completed his Introductory courses towards a Master’s degree from George Washington University in Washington D.C. He is based in London.
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All the Arab summits, without exception, are unsuccessful but it seems that the Damascus summit will be the biggest failure of them all. The question is: Who seeks to hinder the next Arab summit in Damascus, and why? The answer, undoubtedly, is the Syrian regime itself.

Damascus wants to organize a summit in which all the Arab leaders can attend to stand by the Syrian President Bashar al Assad as he lectures about nationalism, uniting the Arab ranks, the honour of resistance and the honour of arms, and the threat of the Israeli aggression. This is done with the intention of giving his people the impression that the Syrian regime is not isolated internationally.

All this comes at a time when the Syrian regime records a first and unique development, which is the presence of an Arab state without a head, since the Syrian regime seeks to occupy Lebanon with its influence and agents. This way, Syria can govern Beirut from within the confines of intelligence quarters.

The Syrian regime’s resistance is not against the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights but rather against the Arab system so that it may take over Beirut. Syria’s battle is not for the sake of liberating the Golan Heights; it is to occupy Lebanon.

How can the Arabs convene in a capital that is practically destroying another Arab capital? And how can the Arabs accept political blackmail; is the violation of an Arab state acceptable because the violator is Arab and not Israeli? How can the Arabs accept statements such as “Arab Damascus” and [Syria as] “the sword of resistance that does not wane,” in the words of the Syrian president himself as it disseminates Iranian influence in the region?

I have questioned whether Iran has begun to export the revolution. Today I say that Tehran is exporting Khomeini’s Islamic revolution to the Arab world with force – and the gateway for export is Arab Syria. This is not the first time that Lebanon has fallen into the claws of the Syrian regime and Arab conflicts; however this time, Lebanon has fallen under the weight of Syrian manipulation and Iranian influence – and it will not stop at Lebanon.

As soon as the Syrian-Iranian acquisition battle of Lebanon ends, the next battle will be to establish the support pillars for taking over Iraq and everything will collapse. Such is the gravity of Syria’s actions and this is the imminent threat that looms over the region. Syria does not support Arab unity, rather, it supports Iran’s reckless sword.

So, after all this, how is it conceivable for Damascus to host the Arab summit? And even if General Michel Suleiman was miraculously elected as the president of Lebanon, would it mean the end of Syria’s threat over Lebanon? Of course not!

The Syrian regime never hesitates to use its agents in Lebanon and it would not hesitate to renege on its pledges, which it has not fulfilled in any way. Thus, how can it be awarded with hosting the summit where President Assad can lecture us about the unity of the Arab ranks and the honour of resistance?

Syria’s manipulation is blatantly clear; there is no doubt about it. The most recent evidence was the presence of Imad Mughniyeh – who was wanted by 42 states – in Damascus, and this is a story that is still unfolding. Moreover, the Iranian regime’s threat, notwithstanding Iranian President Ahmadinejad’s smiles, is a present and ongoing danger.

Ahmadinejad’s regime never hesitates to play all its cards in the region at a time when the Arabs are striving to bridge the differences and contain the issues without sensing the Iranian danger that looms over the entire region via Damascus.

Caution is required however security does not come about through caution alone. Lebanon is but a speck in the Syrian-Iranian sea.

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