Assyrian Democratic Organization ADO
Beirut- Damascus
We have a habit in the Middle East of blaming others for our problems. The problems are within ourselves and we need to recognize this sooner rather than later, in order to solve them with the least amount of damage. We need to start maturing and be responsible for our actions.
hafez & bashar 4 -.jpgWe love conspiracy theories. These theories blind us, to the extent that we stop thinking logic. We start making up stories that suit us to get us off the hook. We then forget that we made them up and we start believing in them. But these will remain stories. In the end only logic works.
The murder of Hariri has to be uncovered. Lets therefore quit all these conspiracy theories and face the facts with logic.
Mehlis commission is empowered to find out who killed Hariri. Logic therefore dictates that we should find those killers and bring them to justice, whoever they may be. In the end justice must prevail.
The Mehlis commission named 6 Syrian officers for questioning. As they say “why beat around the bush?” Submit these officers to the commission and let the commission question them and determine if they are innocent or not. If they are innocent then there is no problem. If they were found guilty then justice will take its course. These officers will have lawyers that will defend them and the courts will decide. Unlike other courts in the Middle East these will be very transparent and every one of these officers will remain innocent until proven guilty.
There is therefore no justification for the attacks against the Lebanese leaders and the superpowers. There is also no justification for discrediting the commission and its leadership. The solution to this problem is within the reach of the Syrian leadership and only the Syrian leadership.
The Syrian leadership therefore has to stop spreading these conspiracy theories and rise to the occasion. As they say this is how you can tell “men from boys.” Leaders have to recognize their responsibilities and not run away from problems. These problems will remain unless they are solved. So why let some one else solve your problem. It is time for the Syrian leadership to take the ‘bull by the horn’.
In 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and the world community including Syria supported Kuwait in forcing Saddam to pull out, I recall a speech that the late President Hafez Assad delivered the night before the war started. It was the best speech I ever heard him deliver. It was a logical speech and as an Arab I was moved by it. He urged Saddam to pull out from Kuwait and promised that Syria will support Iraq if it pulls out. The rest of course is history. Saddam didn’t listen to Hafez Assad. Not only he was forced to pull out, but Iraq was humiliated and never recovered from this humiliation until today.
I am absolutely sure that if (Bless his soul) Hafez Assad, was here today he would whisper in the ear of Bashar and tell him “Syria should come first… Bashar, go ahead… submit the 6 officers for questioning unconditionally. We have to save Syria”.
Just like in 1990, the whole world cannot be wrong. UN Resolution 1636 was voted on by all the members of the security council, including countries that are considered friendly, such as Russia, Algeria and China. The resolution is simple. It asks the Syrian leadership to cooperate with the investigation commission. The Syrian leadership therefore has to stop wasting time and start cooperating fully until the truth is found. This will be good for Syria and Lebanon. It will save Syria.
Unlike what the Syrian leadership wants to think and all the conspiracy theories about the Lebanese, Lebanon wants to see a Syria that is prosperous, modern and stable. A Syria that will be a good neighbor to Lebanon. Syria is the most important neighbor for Lebanon both geographically, culturally and historically. No one in Lebanon wants the Syrian people suffer. Time therefore to save Syria.
Background Information
Former Lebanon’s PM Rafik Hariri was assassinated on Feb 14, 2005. The United Nations set up a commission under the leadership of Detlev Mehlis, to investigate the murder and find out who planned and killed Hariri. 6 Syrian officers were named in Mehlis report for questioning. One of these officers is Assef Shawkat, the brother-in-law of president Basher Al Assad.
The assassination of Hariri, outraged the Lebanese and the Cedar Revolution was born. Over a million people demonstrated in the center of Beirut demanding the Truth about Hariri’s killing and asked for Syria to leave Lebanon. Under pressure from the revolution and the world community Syria pulled out its troops from Lebanon last April. The truth behind Hariri’s murder remains the mystery. This is what Mehlis is trying to uncover.
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