Sunday May 13, 2007

I've Been Thinking:

President Bashar Assad of Syria addressed his new and powerless parliament this past Thursday on the prospects of peace with Israel.

Assad had several points to make. This is what he said:
Point # 1: "Syria has not presented any preconditions for the peace process, but we do have demands."
Point # 2: "The land is a basic principle for us, and we will never relinquish it."
Point # 3: "The Golan Heights region is not open to negotiation."
Point # 4: "We are working toward a just and comprehensive peace."
Point # 5: "Israel is incapable of conducting comprehensive and just negotiations because its government is too weak to take the necessary steps."
That has become a perennial favorite of the president.

What Assad is really saying is that he has a basic precondition for peace.
What Assad is really saying is: Return the Golan Heights and then we can talk.

The reality is that Syria has no interest in peace.
Syria has an interest in being brought out of the "diplomatic cold."
Syria will say and sign anything in order to bring that about.
Syria cannot be trusted.