WE were friendly with Saddam. There is photographic evidence that even Rumsfeld met with Saddam in the 70's. We propped up Saddam until such time he started taking us for granted and invaded Kuwait.
I've ceded the point that we were previously on friendly terms with Saddam. Keeping in mind that my memory sucks. I seem to remember an Iraqi F-1 firing a Exocet missile and doing extensive damage, not to mention killing about 30 or more of the crew, to one of our ships previous to his invasion of Kuwait. Saddam never gave an adequate explanation of what happened in that incident. I pretty sure that's what soured us on Saddam and inhibited further diplomatic sorties.
Bashar is Western educated and that he should be kept in power to counterbalance the influence of the Islamic Jihad in Syria. And furthermore, play Syria against Iran (since Islamic Jihad is a Iranian proxy)
Bashar Assad
Bashar Al-Assad is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic and head of the Syrian Ba'ath Party.
Born September 11, 1965, the second son of Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad, Bashar Al-Assad had not planned on being involved in politics. He studied ophthalmology at the Tishrin military hospital in Damascus, and then went on to London for further studies as an eye doctor. Bashar Al-Assad's life was changed in 1994 when his older brother, Basil, who was being groomed for the highest office, was killed in a car crash. Because the army plays a key role in Syrian politics -- his father headed both the Army and the Air Force -- Bashar entered the military academy at Homs, north of Damascus, and rose through the ranks to become a colonel in January, 1999. Known to be an Internet buff, Bashar went on to lead a Syrian scientific society for information technology. When he became president, it was hoped that Bashar would lean more towards Western political policies, and would be a slightly more liberal leader for Syria. In fact, he has stuck very close to the political lines of his autocratic late father.
Wikipedia
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-AssadBashar al-Assad (???? ?????) (born September 11, 1965) is the current President of Syria and the son of former President Hafez al-Assad.
Studying in London for ophthalmology, Bashar al-Assad initially had few political aspirations. Hafez al-Assad had been grooming Bashar's older brother, Basil al-Assad to be the future president. However, Basil died in an automobile accident which in turn made Bashar his father's new heir apparent. When the elder Assad died in 2000, Bashar inherited the presidency.
He is often characterized as a very "hands-off" president, due to his political inexperience. Some accuse him of being little more than a puppet of hardliners from his father's administration. However, Assad has promised economic and political reforms since coming to power.
Despite tense relations with Israel, Assad has called for a resumption of peace talks on the issue of the Golan Heights.
In August 2004, Assad was accused by Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt of threatening Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri, allegedly saying, "If you and Chirac want me out of Lebanon... I would rather break Lebanon over the heads of Hariri and Walid Jumblatt than see my word in Lebanon broken." Assad is alleged to have further threatened both Mr. Hariri and Mr. Jumblatt with physical harm if they opposed the extension for Mr. Lahoud. [1] (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/international/middleeast/20lebanon.html?ei=5094&en=441b692d8c0ef46a&hp=&ex=1111294800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all&position=). This account is quoted, but not confirmed, in the UN's FitzGerald Report [2] (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/25/international/middleeast/25hariri.html?pagewanted=all&position=):
Assad and some pro-Syrian Lebanese factions are accused of being responsible for Hariri's murder, which incited Lebanon's "Cedar Revolution." Both Damascus and Beirut have strongly denied any involvement. Hariri's rift with Assad began with the former's vehement opposition to the Syrian-backed constitutional amendment which extended pro-Syrian Lebanese president Emile Lahoud's term in office. Hariri resigned over the incident.
And it is the same with Bashar Assad. Bush and his army of diplomats need to take full advantage of the fact that Bashar is Western educated and that he should be kept in power to counterbalance the influence of the Islamic Jihad in Syria. And furthermore, play Syria against Iran (since Islamic Jihad is a Iranian proxy)
This doesn't sound like the guy for the job you speak of. |
