2005-03-06-syria

By Ira Sharkansky

Every once in a while there is a political speech that is worthy of consideration. On Saturday, March 5, the Syrian President, Bashar al-Asad, stood before the national parliament and responded to the pressure about removing troops and other security personnel from Lebanon.

He said that he would, perhaps, but on his own timetable which he did not specify. He talked about moving troops to an interior valley of Lebanon as a first stage, and later moving them to the Lebanese-Syrian border. He did not say whether they would be positioned on the Lebanese or the Syrian side of the border. He also did not say that he would remove other Syrian security personnel (secret police) who observe and act throughout Lebanon. He asserted that Syrian relations with Lebanon would remain close, which may mean a continuation of Syrian hands on a number of Lebanon's economic assets, including the growing of poppies and other goodies in demand, and the marketing of the products.

The tone of the speech was condescending, and occasionally cute. One of its segments referred to American demands that Syria close its borders with Iraq. Asad said that since the United States could not seal its border with Mexico, it should not criticize Syria for not being able to seal its border with Iraq.

I have already heard one Israeli say, "Gee whiz, he's right."

One can also hear the same response whenever an Arab says that "We cannot be anti-Semitic because we are Semites."

In both cases, it is necessary to go a millimeter below the surface to grasp the real meaning of words. As I understand my mother tongue, an anti-Semite is someone who is anti-Jewish, and there are lots of those among Arabs.

And while it is true that the Americans have not been able to seal the border between the US and Mexico, they are certainly trying. And the Mexicans who get through are mostly those who want to work, and not kill Americans. Syria, in contrast, is accused of aiding the cross-border traffic of arms and fighters, rather than not being able to seal a border completely despite trying to do so.

Even before the speech was delivered, its contents were the subject of media comments. Saudi Arabia, France, and the United States said that a partial or delayed withdrawal of Syrian forces would not be acceptable. After the speech, a number of Arab officials said it was a step in the right direction. The US State Department said that " when the United States and France say withdraw, we mean complete withdrawal - no half-hearted measures."

The Syrian president is not all that firm in his seat. He was imposed on his country by an inner circle after the death of his father. He is a young man in a setting that respects age. He represents an Alawi ethnic group, which gained power despite its minority status, and the questions that other Muslims have about its religious authenticity. There were five coups d'etat in Syria between 1949 and 1973.

Asad showed contempt for the US President and other prominent leaders who demanded much more than he said he would deliver. No doubt that he is caught between international and domestic cross pressures. Now we will see what happens.

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Sharkansky is a member of the political science department at Hebrew University in Jerusalem