Robert Fisk: Is this the price of America's new friendship with Syria?
World Focus: Pro-Damascus generals held for the assassination that sparked turmoil in Lebanon walk free after four years
Digg
del.icio.us
Facebook
Reddit
Google
Stumble Upon
Fark
Newsvine
YahooBuzz
Bebo
Twitter
Independent Minds
AFP/GETTY IMAGES
A man carries a poster showing the released Lebanese generals, with the word 'Wanted' replaced by 'Free'
enlarge
They're out. The four top men blamed for the murder of the Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri in the Saint Valentine's Day massacre four years ago have been freed from their drab prison at Roumieh north of Beirut, amid a flurry of gunfire and fireworks. In Damascus – their home from home if you believe what Mr Hariri's men tell you – they must be drinking champagne.
Once more the UN donkey, clip-clopping on to the world stage after the murder of Mr Hariri, has been proved a mule. Judge Daniel Fransen, of the UN tribunal, declared in the Hague yesterday that the Big Four – how well we know their names in Lebanon – should go free: The Lebanese General Security commander Major-General Jamel Sayed, the former Internal Security director general Major-General Ali Haj, the ex-intelligence director general Raymond Aza and the former Presidential Guards commander Brigadier General Mustafa Hamdan.
There was much kissing and ululating among the relatives outside the north Beirut prison when Mr Fransen declared – quite correctly in law, it has to be added – that there was, after a four year investigation, "insufficient evidence" to continue the detention of the men. If this "evidence" existed (and the UN examined millions of phone calls recorded by British intelligence on Mount Troudos in Cyprus), then it failed to prevent the decision yesterday. Barack Obama's new friendship with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must be going great guns.
Guns, unfortunately, may be the issue of the day, since Lebanon's national elections start on 7 June, when the growing Shiite-Muslim opposition, along with a weird Christian ex-General's party, threaten to collapse the Hariri-led bloc that has led the Lebanese government for four years, albeit with a year-old veto on cabinet decisions by Hizbollah. And here lies the problem. In five weeks' time, Hizbollah, the most loyal and the most security-conscious guerrilla movement in the Middle East – a new arrest in Lebanon of three alleged "spies" in the organisation attests to this – wants to depose the narrow majority of seats held by Mr Hariri's son, Saad, and his supporters (including the world's greatest nihilist, Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader). Well, we shall see.
So who killed Rafiq Hariri? Until yesterday, the Lebanese, whose protests after the massacre forced the Syrian army out of Lebanon, thought they knew. And who was it who wanted, as President of the United States, to open a new door to the Syrians? President Obama. And who was it who stood next to Rafiq Hariri's son, Saad, in Beirut, three days ago, to assure him of US support? Why, Mr Obama's Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, of course.
View all comments that have been posted about this article.
Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by the Independent Minds Terms of Service.
- Print Article
- Email Article
-
Click here for copyright permissions
Copyright 2009 Independent News and Media Limited
Comments
Who stood to gain...? Certainly not Syria, who do we know in that area is past masters of the false flag and the divide and conquer strategy..?
Who saw Syria as a massive block into the building of the proposed US super base? Or an entrenched Syria being a massive block against further annexation of Lebanon per se its southern river that a certain country has its eye on because they are running out of fresh water.
Why has it never reached western media that the crater left behind by the explosion was radioactive? An explosion that obliterated the vehicle but was very confined, certainly not your run of the mill fertiliser and nails mob that is certain.
C'mon Robert you can do better than this... the only evidence that ever pointed to Syria was the declaration by Bush and his toadies and these people have spent four years in the nick on that very say so...
Oooooh, let me guess! That puts Israel in the frame? Is there any conspiracy you would not ascribe to that country?
If Fisk considered there was any Mossad involvement, don't you think he might have mentioned it?
We know that Hariri's assassination has all the marks of a sophisticated 'hit' by someone who has a lot of experience of extra-judicial and extra-territorial hits, over a very long period (I witnessed one in Beirut, the destruction of the Palestine Research Centre, just across the street, 34 years ago),
We also know that Syria's involvement in Lebanon was not altogether benign, but a lot less malignant than Israel's. I was there to witness the beginning of both involvements.
Fisky, I admire your jorunalism, and have been reading it for at least 30 years, but I think you have a bee in your bonnet about your friend Hariri's murder, and I think it is the wrong one.
But you notice how Israel goes about this, any sane nation would seek a way to diplomatically broker an agreement that would see maybe water being diverted from this river, working something out maybe with trade agreements or security agreements but this is not to be.
By the way, why is it a problem for you on how the Lebanese people would vote in the next 5 weeks? haven't you recovered from your "white's man burden"?
Fisk, as usual, in his sneering way, claims that the UN donkey has morrphed into a mule. (I fail to see the significance of the distinction). All supposedly to achieve a trade-off between Syria and the US.
Yet he concedes that there was 'insufficient evidence'. If that was the case, one assumes they would not have been convicted. At some point, then, the men must be released because without evidence they, as individuals, must be presumed to be innocent.
This is the due process of law. In the UK we have habeas corpus - one assumes that Fisk would accept that the same concept should apply internationally. (ie bring to trial or release!) That concept was certainly not upheld at Guantanamo.
Once more the UN donkey, clip-clopping on to the world stage after the murder of Mr Hariri, has been proved a mule. English, Robert, English. Is UN the mule or .. Remember the article about the Robert Fisk: Is this the price of America's new friendship with Syria?
Once more the UN donkey, clip-clopping on to the world stage after the murder of Mr Hariri, has been proved a mule. English, Robert, English. Is UN the mule or .. Remember the article about the A table with a man who has three legs is for sale? That.
Let me understand you. There is UN on one side, then you have an ass and then you have Saad, in Beirut, three days ago, to assure him of US support? Why, Mr Obama's Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, of course.
The answer is YES. Not that I understand why I say this, however, I am a confused as you are. Please let me know when you are ready to ride the mule.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
Let me understand you. There is UN on one side, then you have an ass and then you have Saad, in Beirut, three days ago, to assure him of US support? Why, Mr Obama's Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, of course.
The answer is YES. Not that I understand why I say this, however, I am a confused as you are. Please let me know when you are ready to ride the mule.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
I can see none. Just the usual Fisk.
When you want to see a witch you can see them everywhere. Righteous indignation in the observer always "illuminates" them and the internet "confirms" your view (and any view of course, any view at all)
Making yourself bludgeon every event into the same prism of a single political view regardless of the facts, or lack of them, is..... yes, bigotry
Robert Fisk, eloquent, refined, inciter of division, namer of witches, merchant of death
p.s. UK troops today leave 27 million emancipated Iraqis behind them. 27 million peoiple emancipated despite Fisk and in spite of Fisks constant opposition to every stage of their liberation. He recited the narratives that insurgents build their hate upon (not least cretinous oil theories that the $13000 bn a year GDP US went to steal $45 bn a year of Iraqi oil). Merchant of death.
Or are they just unpeople, to be swept under the carpet while you're cheerleading for a nation whose activities you either don't understand or are merely lying for?
Is the market value of oil is equivalent to the strategic value of having control of the oil supply? Of course not.
And it's very interesting that you define Fisk as a merchant of death when you support an invasion that has cost well over a million lives so far...
The arrest and 4-year detention without trial of these generals shows the Hariri assassination for what it really is: a coup by the US-backed Sunni, Phalangist, and Druze oligarch/warlords masquerading as "Lebanese patriots" (the kind that don't bat an eyelid when their country is invaded by Israel). They used the assassination to purge the military leadership and seize power just as the US & UK used 9/11 and 7/7 to install police states. The Hariri assassination was Lebanon's Reichstag fire.
So does that make it patricide? Did Hariri Jr. have a finger in it? It wouldn't be the first time in Lebanese politics.
Doesn't Syria have enough fingerprints on Lebanese power centers? Isn't Hizbollah strickly Syrian/Iranian backed?
The Christians (Phalangists, as you respectively call them...) have had the lower hand since the early 80's, and every government since has been a Shiite Syrian puppet. That is a painful truth for every moderate in the area, not just Lebanese.
Did you forget the massive protests to kick Syria out of the country? Hariri Jr kiling his own father and acting furious afterwards with amazing bravado does'nt make a whole lot of sense...
So if a killer escapes into a school / hospital / anyhere we are right in bombing it to the ground.
That is only Israeli logic.
As ancientoneuk and others point out, if you look at the modus operandi and past record, the assassination points to the masters of assassination...Israel's the Mossad.
As ancientoneuk and others point out, if you look at the modus operandi and past record, the assassination points to the masters of assassination...Israel's the Mossad."
Then again the Syrians might be hoping you would come to that conclusion. All you are left with is the conviction of your own prejudices!
I am confused as Bob is.Still not clear if the mule is away.
I thank you
Firozali A. Mulla
USA can corner the King at any time;Israel the one who killing Rafiq Harriri;the one who is strong ,the one who can play with any one.
politics is the art of lies, to keep lying without been caught;surprises come one day if Israel & Syria did not play the game as planed to be..!
Hariri son ,Saad is one Stone moved by USA/Israel as required by the game.
USA is Using Rafiq blood as needed.
Disgusting..
When Hariri Son can see that ?
USA do not care about Rafiq or this son,they care for themselves.
Politics is like the Areal of the T.V,move it as required.
Your flurry of outrage and innuendo - you should see your face during interviews on Al Jazeera sometimes - gives the impression you have become part of Middle Eastern culture.
You choose the tribes or families you are loyal to - vilify other tribes and families with the flimsiest of evidence and associations - as if it is all common knowledge that we should all believe purely on face value and your unshakable belief in your opinions.
You have gone quite native Robert. Its a pity as your opinions seemed quite interesting some years ago - but you seemed to have the "madness of righteousness" that media ilk inevitably drown in.
Very disappointing Sir very very disappointing!
Btw I can't wait for your next article. maybe by then you might have went through your dusty history archive before writing an article.
1- Yes, Syrians aren't saints, the same goes for the Americans and Israelis.
2- Yes, the Generals held a tight grip on lebanon, but that doesn't make them murderers.
3- What about the false testimonies and joker witnesses?
4- What about the anti-explosion alarm devise Hariri had?
5- What about the tens of Israeli intelligence webs in lebanon, with some going back to the 80s and 70s?
6- What about Mellis' silly approach to criminal investigation?
7- What about the information and the findings provided by German investigator Jürgen Cain Külbel, and French journalist Thierry Meyssan, and recently American journalist Wayne Madison?
8- What about the aftermath of Hariri's assassination and the un-preselected endorsement of 14th March movement fueled by an assassination every now and then?
9- What about the Fateh Al Islam, and Saymour Hersh's "Redirection"?
10- What happened to the popularity of Hezbollah after Hariri's death, especially among Sunnis, where an unbelievable propaganda machine spread through middle eastern channels? What happened in 2006, do you think Hariri sr. would've stood against the resistance, the way most of 14th march stood? Have you heard of the ?new middle east? that was supposed to come out of the Lebanese womb declared bluntly by Secretary Rice? Do you think there would be such turbulence and turmoil in lebanon for the past 4 years, most of it against Syrian interests, where an anti-Syrian criminal and murderer of a former Lebanese prime minister would get out of jail, and become the serpent of march 14th?
There are tons and tons more clues, but Robert, have you heard about any of these? I?m sure you have, but how come, there isn?t the slightest mention in your articles!!
they were the biggest losers, you looser!!
Anyway, I think the Americans replied to him when they spoke harshly against the syrians n' renewed the sanctions on Syria a few days later.