Michael Totten

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Don’t Even Try Defecting to Lebanon

May 17, 2011 - 9:10 am - by Michael J. Totten

Three Syrian soldiers tried to defect to Lebanon after shielding fleeing refugees from Bashar al-Assad’s violent Shahiba miltia, but they were promptly arrested by Lebanese army officers and will most likely be sent back to Damascus. “Defecting” from Syria to Lebanon in 2011 is as useless as fleeing Moscow to East Berlin during the Soviet era. Anyone who tries is all but guaranteed to be arrested, will most likely be tortured, and faces the real possibility of being executed.

It’s sad, really. Lebanon, when left to its own devices, is a fairly open place and has acted as a refuge of sorts for writers and dissidents who can’t survive in the Arab world’s closed societies and despotic political systems. The country very nearly recovered its sovereignty and reverted to its old sectarian-democratic self after the Cedar Revolution in 2005, but today it’s firmly back in the Syrian- and Iranian-led Resistance Bloc.

Read the rest in Commentary Magazine.

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3 Comments, 3 Threads, 1 Trackbacks

  1. 1. Maxtrue

    Yep almost as bad as defecting to Iran. This is interesting. KSA imports 20% of China’s oil. Iran is third and Angola second. http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/2010_CMPR_Final.pdf

    I guess I’m saying that China is one important reason why Lebanon is in Hizb’Allah’s death grip and why Assad is still in power. China helps NK/Iran which helps prop up Assad who supplies Hizb’Allah who forces Lebanon to send Syrian soldiers back to their death. Even Turkey doesn’t do that, nor would such defections be rejected by Israel.

    I wonder what would happen if the soldiers defected to the UN garrisons.

    May 17, 2011 - 7:48 pm   Link to this Comment
  2. 2. Maxtrue

    exports to China 20% of its oil would have been better said….

    May 17, 2011 - 7:49 pm   Link to this Comment
  3. 3. Maxtrue

    Son of Hamas: http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/son-of-hamas-attacks-my-veracity/ (follow-up for Michael)
    More wonderful things from France: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5htNuHqBflEZCsbc0l8iDy7MvcpqQ?docId=6a33e43492a74ba1b0a966eeeefbaeff (You’ve got to love the complete awkwardness in Paris these days)

    But back to topic: hxxp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13446906
    Thousands of Syrians will run to Lebanon. This drama is far from over as Obama now sanctions Assad and his family.

    May 18, 2011 - 11:30 am   Link to this Comment

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