Ex-Syrian VP: Assad threatened Hariri

[ygalg1]

Former Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam criticizes Syrian leader Bashar Assad in interview with al-Arabiya; says after meeting with Assad, Hariri left with 'high blood pressure and his nose bleeding'
Associated Press
Former Syrian Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam, a one-time stalwart of the ruling Baath Party, said Friday that former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri was threatened by Syria months before he was assassinated.
Khaddam made the claim as he declared a formal break with President Bashar Assad in a television interview for al-Arabiya, citing corruption within the regime and its failure to reform.
"Hariri was subjected to many threats from Syria. Dangerous things were said. Once he was summoned to Damascus…was spoken to in extremely harsh words by President Bashar Assad," Khaddam said in the interview, his first since leaving Syria several months ago. In the interview, Khaddam was bitterly critical of the current Assad government, saying the ruling Baath Party and other popular organizations had been reduced to vindicating "decisions made by the president."
However, he claimed to have left his homeland on good terms with Assad.
"There are differences in opinions, but there was mutual respect," he said, adding that his family was with him in Paris where he was writing a memoir. Nevertheless, he charged, the Syrian leadership had made many mistakes.
'High blood pressure, bleeding nose'
During the interview, he quoted the Syrian president as telling Hariri months before he was killed, "You want to bring a (new) president in Lebanon. ... I will not allow that. I will crush whoever attempts to overturn our decision."
Syria had dictated an extension of the presidential term of pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, which Hariri opposed. The move provoked a political crisis in Syria's tiny Mediterranean neighbor.
After the warning from Assad, Hariri left with "
high blood pressure and his nose bleeding," Khaddam said.
The former vice president however, said he was not accusing Syria of complicity in Hariri's Feb. 14 assassination in a massive truck bombing that killed 20 others on a Beirut street. He said uncovering the guilty parties was a matter for the U.N. commission investigating the murder.
Khaddam's comments reflected serious cracks within the Damascus regime. His claim was in direct contradiction to those of Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, who claimed at a Wednesday news conference that Hariri lied when he told Lebanese politicians he had been threatened by Assad during a meeting on Aug. 26, 2004.
Several anti-Syrian Lebanese politicians told the U.N. commission they had been told Assad threatened to "break Lebanon" over Hariri's head if he did not support Damascus' decision to extend the Lahoud presidency.
Khaddam also launched a scathing attack against Syria's intelligence chief in Lebanon, Brig. Gen. Rustom Ghazale, as a corrupt officer who insulted Lebanese politicians, including Hariri, on a number of occasions.
Khaddam said Ghazale had urged Assad to bring Hariri to Damascus and
"chop off his head because he had created this situation in Lebanon."
Ghazale is one of several Syrian security officials interrogated by U.N. Investigators.
Only Syrian official to attend Hariri's funeral
Khaddam became a Syrian vice president in 1984 and resigned in June. He was the nominal leader in Syria for a short period after Assad's father, Hafez Assad, died in June 2000.
Khaddam was been a member of the Baath Party's regional command for almost 30 years. During the Lebanese civil war, he was Syria's top official for the country, frequently visiting Beirut and becoming deeply involved in the day to day politics of the country.
He gradually handed over his Lebanese responsibilities during the late 1990s, but remained a close friend of Hariri and was the only Syrian official to attend his funeral.

More of such renegades will eventually give green light to USA to attack Syria

[CLL1709]

More of such renegades will eventually give green light to USA to attack Syria

I am surprised that the Lebanese have not yet concluded that assassination of Assad is a righteous retribution for what Syria has done to their country. If they wake up to the fact that their affiliation with Syria will continue to lead them down a very dark path considering the Moscow, Damascus, Tehran connection into the nuclear horror show, perhaps they can be convinced otherwise. Somehow I doubt it. Those looking for peace in the Middle East are going to be disappointed, and so is Israel. At the basis of all this turmoil is militant Islam and it's quest for world domination. It is a poison that effects and infects everything it touches. The West with it's preoccupation with the threat of Russian and Chinese communism has failed to recognize the insinuation of Islam into all our countries.

Note that in the last week Syria and Iran issued a statement of more or less mutual defense if any foe attempts to neutralize either's weaponry. Russia is a country beset still with so many problems and a growing Islamic problem and because of it's long term help to the "creatures of the dark" everywhere cannot do anything but look the other way, and be oh so helpful, at all of Iran's saber rattling and quest for an atomic weapon. Beslan was Russia's 9/11 and they are now petrified. So if anyone thinks the "Cold War" is over, think again.

President Bush has to make some very serious decisions and recognize that Mr. Putin is NOT our friend. For Israel, the "road map" will be it's undoing and it is time that W and Condi either make the PA live up to it's agreements, and announce a departure from this suicide course imposed on Israel. Sadly, most of the US is hiding under the fiction all those countries really want peace, too content with our stupid IPOD's culture of accumulating stuff to even read about what our enemies stated purpose is! 9/11 is just something that happened years ago and no longer concerns the majority. The Democratic party is so terrified by their loss of power they cannot give a thought to anything but trying to destroy the Republican hold on congress and the White House. As usual, their last thoughts are defense or foreign policy. Clinton can take the accolades for getting us into this mess, caring much more for his popularity poll numbers, than the growing menace of Islam.

I could go on and on I am so upset, and apologize for straying from your real point. Our best help to Israel now seems to be intimidating Syria, and maintain troops in Iraq forever. My niece and cousin are going back to Iraq and Afghanistan respectively for yet another tour in January. The only Americans paying a price for the war in Iraq is the military and their families. Public opinion regarding yet another step in the region, such as Syria, I believe would be suicide for the Bush Administration, even if we are attacked again, and then most would blame Homeland Security, not the perpetrators!

How long do you suppose Khaddam will stay alive considering his statement?

Happy New Year despite the gloom and doom!

[ygalg1]

My niece and cousin are going back to Iraq and Afghanistan respectively for yet another tour in January.

what tour? these places are no Eilat

happy new year CLL1709 and try to look into positive side of life

PS 'Putin' is a scum

[ouwatjeh]

This is my first post here, I'm form Lebanon, I'm with the Lebanese Forces, I suport Israel in everything. So I'm with u guys . We know what syria has done to our country, we where the one who didn't want syria since the 1st day it entered Lebanon, and we paid a lot for our stand against syria, and because we where the only who were against syrian occupation our leader Dr.Samir Geagea was in jail for 11years for crimes he didnt make, our foundater of course u know him president Bachir Gmeil was assasinated becasue he was with israel and against syria. after Hariri's assasination the suni street plus the Druz woke up and realised that the syrian occupation in Lebanon is not good, they joined forces with the christians. We have crossed a long way for freedom ( Samir Geagea is free, Syrian troops are out ....) our only probleme or our only obsticle is the shi'aa and espacially Hezbullah. The goverment is paralised because "our president" is pro-syrian, so he didnt accepte for a goverment that dosnt represent Amal and Hezbullah, and now the goverment cant take any decision without Amal and Hezbullah accepting it. About one month ago when the goverment decided to vote in order to ask the U.N for an international court, the Hezbullah and Amal ministers refused to continue the meeting and now they refuse to get back unless the other ministers agree never to vote on anything and that every decision has to be made if all agree.
There is still a lot of obsticle in our way, Hezbullah is biggest one, their weapon is a huge deal, I dont think they will hand it over to the goverment without a war. And war is the last thing we need right now.