While US wants to bring "the perpetrators of Hariri's killing to justice" - as phrased by the State Department – the administration is pressuring Congressional lawmakers to exempt the CIA from a proposed ban on the "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" of anyone held by US authorities, mostly Arabs and Muslims.

It appears that the US foreign-policy approach to Syria is in line with the infamous report prepared for the Israeli government in 1996, by the individuals who manipulated US foreign policy to build a case for war on Iraq, namely Richard Perle, Douglas Feith and David Wurmser, among others. "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm" counseled that "given the nature of the regime in Damascus, it is both natural and moral that Israel abandon the slogan 'comprehensive peace' and move to contain Syria, drawing attention to its weapons of mass destruction program, and rejecting 'land for peace' deals on the Golan Heights".

It recommended that Israel should establish "the precedent that Syrian territory is not immune to attacks emanating from Lebanon by Israeli proxy forces". It also read: "Israel can shape its strategic environment, in cooperation with Turkey and Jordan, by weakening, containing and even rolling back Syria. This effort can focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq - an important Israeli strategic objective in its own right - as a means of foiling Syria's regional ambitions."

While US Senator Barbara Boxer had chided Condi Rice when the latter said that the Asian Sunami was an opportunity ( to improve tattered US image ) the assassination of the Hariri is thus another  opportunity to extract more concessions from Damascus, which is standing up to the Israeli expansionism and American crusade.

On Lebanon, UK MP George Galloway, recently warned that a civil war was on the brink in Lebanon. He also called upon the Lebanese opposition not to transform Lebanon into a “knife in Syria’s back”. “During his visit to Lebanon, he felt that the elements of the Lebanese civil war, which ended in 1989, are now back and Lebanon has become a dangerous place now, alluding to Michel Aoun’s return and Samir Ja’ja’s release from jail, both of whom were the primary architects in the 15-year civil war.  “Lebanon was currently witnessing an ‘atmosphere of war’ following the February 14 assassination of Hariri and the subsequent explosions targeting key Lebanese political figures.

Russia-Syria-Israel triangle;

Moscow would “not disrupt the absence of balance!”

Sergey Lavrov two-day working visit to Israel ending on 28 despite friendly atmosphere failed to produce an understanding on any of the key problems in bilateral relations. Israel was disappointed with Russian failure to share its concerns over Syria and Iran. Russia's proposal to hold an international conference on Palestine fell on Israel’s deaf ears.  Lavrov and Israeli Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom made only short statements to hide the disagreements between them on key questions. Lavrov expressed opposition to sanctions against Syria regarding the assassination of Hariri. “Syria has to be drawn into the investigation and not accused as a state. At this stage, the imposition of sanctions is excessive,” Lavrov declared... Shalom did not agree with him.

Russian diplomats assured the Israelis that the promise made by Putin in his April visit that it would not provide Syria with arms that could disrupt the balance of power in the region would be kept. One Russian diplomat accompanying Lavrov joked that Moscow would “not disrupt the absence of balance,” apparently referring to Israel's military superiority over its Arab neighbors. In Israel, they react nervously to such jokes.

Growing concern over Iran's pursuit of a nuclear capability was the chief topic of the ministers' meeting, Shalom revealed that Israel is greatly concerned that Iran is close to producing a nuclear bomb, he said, warning that Israel "must take every necessary step" to prevent what he termed "a nightmare for us and for Russia." Israel reportedly has over 100 nuclear bombs.

Syrian reaction:

Post UN resolution, Syria requested an emergency Arab League summit to rally regional support in the face of stern UN Security Council action. However, as history has shown Anglo-Saxons have exploited Arab disunity throughout history .Instead of a summit of all 22 members, a smaller gathering of Syria, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Lebanon and Egypt might be organized if others decline afraid of upsetting the United States, France and Britain. Arab league remains an ineffective organization.

With most members being Sunnis , Arab League offices based in Cairo ( like the influence of Saudis on OIC based in the Kingdom) and President Mubarak doing Washington ‘s bidding not much will be done to aid Shiia Alawaite Assad. The author who was posted in Amman ( 1989-92 ) knows how efforts by late King Hussein of Jordan and others to find an Arab solution to Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait were undone by Mubarak at US command .He was amply rewarded for this  action. 

The Syria Times said the resolution as drafted was “openly politicized” and too heavily influenced by the United States.” It’s immoral and totally unacceptable that the will of the (international) community remains captive to a unilateral diktat and ... accepts tyranny and hegemony,” the paper said.

Tishrin, another government newspaper, criticized the proposed UN document as “tough and unbalanced” and urged the Security Council to adopt “a balanced and objective” resolution “that would not be a clear translation of the US administration’s will.”

Al Thawra daily said the United States wants Syria to “be stripped of its skin, abandon its regional and national role and be turned into a marginal state that carries out orders.”

Mass pro-government demonstrations were held in Damascus and Aleppo "Wake up Arabs, your turn will come soon!" said one banner. Wrote a Western commentators  “ The officially organized protests were a reminder that despite public dissatisfaction over living standards, 20% unemployment, and falling oil income, the regime still knows how to exploit nationalist sentiment - and faces little conventional political  opposition“ Would these pompous experts like to usher in democracy as in Iraq , with over 50%  unemployment, rampaging anarchy and insecurity and almost total destruction of the state’s infrastructure and robbing of Iraqi peoples oil money by US overlords and their  quislings and supporters

Tens of thousands of Lebanese attended an anti-Israel Hizbullahs parade in Beirut’s southern suburb in a show of force by the group facing US-led pressure to disarm in line with a 14-month-old UN resolution.

“We say clearly that we stand by Syria, leadership and people, in the face of its targeting by the Americans and Zionists and attempts to punish it politically for standing by Lebanon and its resistance,” Hizbullahs chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told the rally. “What we are witnessing today is the using of the Mehlis report to punish Syria for a crime that it has not been convicted of as a punishment for its political and strategic options,” Nasrallah said.

Malik al-Abdeh, spokesman for the exiled Movement for Justice and Development opposition party, warned  "The Sunni Salafist movement with its Jihadis offshoots is a growing force within Syria, especially among the rural young," he said. "This movement is not under the influence of traditional Islamists parties like the Muslim Brotherhood. It is a relatively new phenomenon; greatly boosted by the Iraq insurgency... it represents the strongest challenge to the regime on the ground."

Like Ahmed Chalabi in Iraq, Mr. Abdeh wants to takeover in Syria as US wants "a more seasoned and pragmatic politician than Bashar" to confront the Islamists. Another expert Rime Allaf, a Syria expert at the think tank Chatham House said,”I think a number of countries are telling them this is not the time - even the Israelis. It's in their interest to have a weakened Syria, a Syria on its knees, but not a Syria in chaos." What an easy picking Iraq had looked from Washington.

Some opposition in USA

Ron Paul (R-TX) speaking in the US House of Representatives on October 26, said “Prepare for a broader war in the Middle East, as plans are being laid for the next U.S.-led regime change – in Syria. A UN report on the death of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri elicited this comment from a senior U.S. policy maker: “Out of tragedy comes an extraordinary strategic opportunity.” This statement reflects the continued neo-conservative, Machiavellian influence on our foreign policy. The “opportunity” refers to the long-held neo-conservative plan for regime change in Syria, similar to what was carried out in Iraq.

“This plan for remaking the Middle East has been around for a long time. Just as 9/11 served the interests of those who longed for changes in Iraq, the sensationalism surrounding Hariri’s death is being used to advance plans to remove Assad.

“Syria was castigated for placing its troops in Lebanon, a neighboring country, although such action was invited by an elected government and encouraged by the United States. The Syrian occupation of Lebanon elicited no suicide terrorist attacks, as was suffered by Western occupiers.