But the editors never answer their Syrian Arab News Agency seems even more clueless. SANA reported yesterday that Assad had "issued the decree No. 75 for the year 2005," which was said to provide "for the ratification of the understanding memo signed between Syria and Lebanon in field of national archive."
That's the entire news item. In a country without a free press, this is what passes for reporting. By contrast, Lebanon has the freest and most informative press of any Arab country.
 A bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad lies on the ground after it was defaced Sunday in the village of Qana in southern Lebanon. (AFP)
|
_____Recent Roundups_____
•
Bush Gets Stoned by the World Media (washingtonpost.com, Feb 24, 2005)
•
Washington's Waning Influence in Iraq (washingtonpost.com, Feb 22, 2005)
•
Who Killed Rafiq Hariri? (washingtonpost.com, Feb 16, 2005)
•
After the Network Stars Depart (washingtonpost.com, Feb 15, 2005)
•
Nuclear North Korea: Bluff or 'Crisis From Hell' ? (washingtonpost.com, Feb 11, 2005)
•
World Opinion Archive
|
| |
|
Many Arab commentators charged that Israel must have been responsible for Hariri's death since it has benefited the most from the international pressure on Syria. In the West Bank-based Arabic Media Internet Network, Elias Akleh, a Palestinian-American, wrote "The American administration, along with its bastard child Israel, has the motives, the means, and the opportunity to assassinate Hariri. This assassination is directed toward Lebanon and Syria in the short run, and to Iran and Russia in the long run. It aims at dividing the region into tiny helpless sectarian states that would be easy for Israel and for America to control."
But Arab governments have a different message for Damascus, according to the semi-official Al Ahram Weekly in Egypt.
"Syria is being told to accommodate growing Lebanese and international requests for a pullout, or at least a substantial redeployment, of troops in Lebanon," one senior Arab diplomat was quoted as saying. "He added that many Arab states have made it clear that they 'will not burn their fingers for Syria any more.'"
"Arab governments know well demands from the international community for a Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon are not prompted by concern for the aspirations of the Lebanese people. But, as one senior Egyptian diplomat said, 'the Syrians are now in a very tight corner.
With friends like these, Syria is finding it harder and harder to resist its enemies.
"Syria was fragile before," wrote Dar al Hayat commentator Patrick Seale. "Now it is in danger."
