| Submit your comments on this article |
| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Syrian Baathist regime could fall |
| 2005-03-02 |
| March 02, 2005, 7:54 a.m. (from nro site) A Loosening Grip Protests in Lebanon give hope to two nations. Born in Syria, Farid Ghadry, is president of the Reform Party of Syria, "a US-based opposition party" of pro-democracy Syrians. In the wake of Lebanon's government stepping down, NRO Editor Kathryn Lopez caught up with Ghadry to get his quick read on the state of play in both Lebanon and Syria. National Review Online: How big of a deal is the government resignation in Lebanon? Were you surprised by it? Farid Ghadry: It is a huge deal because not only did it show that the peaceful will of the people can prevail in curbing despotism, but it also showed how weak Syrian Baathists are. And that is very important. The Syrians and Lebanese have lived the last 44 and 29 years respectively under fear from a powerful police state that is accountable to no one. The Lebanese experience with the killing of Hariri has demolished the concept that Syrian Baathista are all-powerful and they are accountable to no one. The Lebanese people are emboldened by the support of the international community and members of parliament like Ahmad Moufatfat and Walid Ido have warned high Syrian intelligence officers that they seek to bring them to justice if implicated in the killing of Hariri....Ghadry: We believe that first and foremost, the United States need to understand that most Syrians are peaceful people. The majority are Sufi Muslims that want to live in peace and do not share the vision of other extreme Sunni Muslims in introducing [Islamic law] as the staple of a new Syrian government. There are those of us who have lived in the U.S. and feel that the interests of both countries are parallel — delivering at the same time a peaceful nation and a nation that wants to bring economic prosperity through a culturally sensitive capitalist society. The United States must leave the Syrians a chance to show that we are worthy of building a better nation. What we want is help to overthrow the regime, Yay. A prominent person sort of supports my theory of a reform military govt for Syria. |
| Posted by:mhw |