The Lebanese army is reporting that Syria has deployed 10,000 of its troops along the Lebanese border and I want you to take a look at what the Syrians told the Lebanese according to the article here at Adnkronos:
So, there's your answer. The Syrians need 10,000 bloody troops on Lebanon's border to stop smuggling. Yeah right. Just like the Iranians are cooking up nuclear so they can open a couple of electrical plants.
Every time that Syria masses troops along the Lebanon border, one has to look at two possibilities: first, that the Syrians are looking for any unrest in Lebanon to justify their moving back into Lebanon by force or second, there is some sort of attack planned on Israel by Hezbollah in the near future and the Syrians are positioning themselves for assistance in that ensuing retaliation from Israel.
Either way, 10,000 Syrian troops at the doorstop of Lebanon is going to be unsettling. We have to remember how embedded Syria was in Lebanon at one time and although Syria's leader, Assad, has been trying to endear himself to some western countries recently, they are still one of the most paranoid countries in the Middle East and they have always seen Lebanon as a real buffer zone between Israel and their homeland.
The Lebanese army claims 10,000 Syrian troops have been deployed on the border of Lebanon to prevent cross-border smuggling.The troops are part of a special unit trained to stop smuggling across the border between both countries."We asked the Syrians for clarification and they told us it's an internal situation, inside Syrian territory and not directed against Lebanon," a Lebanese army spokesperson told local network LBC.
So, there's your answer. The Syrians need 10,000 bloody troops on Lebanon's border to stop smuggling. Yeah right. Just like the Iranians are cooking up nuclear so they can open a couple of electrical plants.
Every time that Syria masses troops along the Lebanon border, one has to look at two possibilities: first, that the Syrians are looking for any unrest in Lebanon to justify their moving back into Lebanon by force or second, there is some sort of attack planned on Israel by Hezbollah in the near future and the Syrians are positioning themselves for assistance in that ensuing retaliation from Israel.
Either way, 10,000 Syrian troops at the doorstop of Lebanon is going to be unsettling. We have to remember how embedded Syria was in Lebanon at one time and although Syria's leader, Assad, has been trying to endear himself to some western countries recently, they are still one of the most paranoid countries in the Middle East and they have always seen Lebanon as a real buffer zone between Israel and their homeland.
Syria: Damascus deploys 10,000 troops, claims Lebanese army
Beirut, 22 Sept. (AKI) - The Lebanese army claims 10,000 Syrian troops have been deployed on the border of Lebanon to prevent cross-border smuggling.The troops are part of a special unit trained to stop smuggling across the border between both countries."We asked the Syrians for clarification and they told us it's an internal situation, inside Syrian territory and not directed against Lebanon," a Lebanese army spokesperson told local network LBC.Syrian troops were stationed in Lebanon for over 30 years and withdrew in 2005 following the murder of former premier Rafik Hariri. His death was widely believed to be the work of the Syrian government and currently the subject of a United Nations inquiry.Since then the country has been deeply divided along sectarian and political lines.Recent clashes in the northern Lebanese port city of Tripoli have raised fears among politicians and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asked Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to send more troops to Tripoli. Some politicians considered the request foreign interference in Lebanese affairs and believed that the clashes could be used as a possible excuse by Syria to return its troops to Lebanon.Tripoli is dominated by supporters of the anti-Syrian Sunni ruling coalition. Alawites - members of a small offshoot of Shia Islam allied to Syria - are allied to the Lebanese Shia opposition.
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