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Title: | How Bashar Al Assad turned a losing hand into a winning one 2nd t | |||
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| Name: | Samar | | |||
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| Rumors have it that post the Iraq invasion steps were afoot to topple the new Assad regime before it managed to consolidate it`s grip on power. A" plot "was supposed to have been hatched involving Khadam ,deputy to Assad senior and Ghazi Kannan a general from the Assad clan and long time Syrian "viceroy " in Lebanon. These men were two of the most powerful insiders in the Syrian regime under Assad senior. The financing and foreign coordination was conducted by the then Lebanese Prime Minister Harriri with the help of the Saudis. The plot was supposed to have had the blessing and encouragement of the Rumsfeld/Bolton group within the Bush administration. It was never confirmed that the Israelis were enthusiastic about the idea. They have at least established a modus Vivendi with Assad senior which kept matters in Lebanon in a state of "manageable tension" However Some how the "plot" was "uncovered" Harriri was assassinated in Beirut. Kaanan "committed suicide" in Damascus and Khaddam fled and is now living in Saudi. The young Assad reshuffled his inner circle got a firm grip on power, re enforced his " strategic alliance" with Iran and managed to weather the storm. The change of the guard and gradual shift in policy in the USA post the Baker /Hamilton report , the need for Syria to help stabalise an Iraq in turmoil as well as the result of the 2006 Lebanese / Israeli war further strengthened Bashar Al Assad , helped re introduce Syria as a major force in Lebanese politics through his local alliances within that country and an indispensible player in the region. The Israelis astutely recognized this fact and responded positively to the Turkish offer of mediation which itself stemmed from one of the recommendations of the Baker /Hamilton group. This process is likely to continue at a faster pace once the Obama administration starts tackling the issues of the region. |
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