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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| Syrians flee 'revenge' | |
| 2005-02-26 | |
A growing exodus of Syrian workers, fearful they will be scapegoated for last week's killing of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri, threatens to cost Lebanon's construction and agriculture sectors millions of dollars. Businessmen say many building sites are scarcely functioning amid reports of a spate of beatings, robberies and arson attacks targeting the 300,000-plus Syrian migrant workers, the backbone of Lebanon's cheap labour force.
Syrian street-vendors and nightwatchmen are widely suspected by ordinary Lebanese of working for their country's powerful intelligence services, particularly in Christian, Druze and Sunni areas, where opposition to Damascus's dominant role in Lebanon runs deep. The scale of the resentment against all things Syrian in those areas prompted a call for calm from the leading opposition politician, Druze MP Walid Jumblatt. "Lebanese should not display hostility towards Syrian citizens and Syrian workers in Lebanon because they are not responsible" for Hariri's killing, Jumblatt said. "The intelligence services are one thing and the Syrian worker is another. We don't want rancour against the Syrian worker. We want to finish with the terrorist rule of the combined Lebanese and Syrian intelligence services." | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 RED & WHITE: Color of Lebanon Revolutionhttp://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050225-080829-4414r.htm ...Syria has an economic incentive to remain in Lebanon, with millions of dollars pumped into the Syrian economy - both legally and illegally - every month. Additionally, Damascus sees its hold on Lebanon as one of its few trump cards in any future Middle East peace talks. The other is its support of Hezbollah and other groups on the U.S. terror list, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The challenge facing Lebanon's Red and White Revolution - and Washington - will be convincing President Bashar Assad he stands to gain more by placing down his cards. |
| Posted by: ITolYouSoLucy 2005-02-26 4:53:49 AM |
| #5 RED & WHITE: Color of Lebanon Revolutionhttp://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050225-080829-4414r.htm ...Syria has an economic incentive to remain in Lebanon, with millions of dollars pumped into the Syrian economy - both legally and illegally - every month. Additionally, Damascus sees its hold on Lebanon as one of its few trump cards in any future Middle East peace talks. The other is its support of Hezbollah and other groups on the U.S. terror list, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The challenge facing Lebanon's Red and White Revolution - and Washington - will be convincing President Bashar Assad he stands to gain more by placing down his cards. |
| Posted by: ITolYouSoLucy 2005-02-26 4:53:13 AM |
| #4 RED & WHITE: Color of Lebanon Revolutionhttp://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050225-080829-4414r.htm ...Syria has an economic incentive to remain in Lebanon, with millions of dollars pumped into the Syrian economy - both legally and illegally - every month. Additionally, Damascus sees its hold on Lebanon as one of its few trump cards in any future Middle East peace talks. The other is its support of Hezbollah and other groups on the U.S. terror list, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The challenge facing Lebanon's Red and White Revolution - and Washington - will be convincing President Bashar Assad he stands to gain more by placing down his cards. |
| Posted by: ITolYouSoLucy 2005-02-26 4:52:52 AM |
| #3 Anon2u - since when? As far as I can tell, "work" is a dirty word to the paleos. "Kill," on the other hand.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-02-26 10:13:25 PM |
| #2 eh, the palis are looking for work. |
| Posted by: anonymous2u 2005-02-26 2:11:45 PM |
| #1 call in the mohawks for the steel work |
| Posted by: SON OF TOLUI 2005-02-26 2:14:37 AM |