Syria: The Start Of The End
I will be careful with my words when writing this post. It deals with this breaking news: Syria's Interior Minister has committed suicide. My comments do not reflect glee at the news but attempt to demonstrate how, for the want of a better phrase, the noose is tightening around al-Assad.
Ghazi Kanaan took his own life at around noon today. Just hours before he spoke to the Sawt Libnan (Voice of Lebanon) radio station, at the end of which he said "I believe this is the last announcement I can make."
Kanaan was a pillar of the regime, and for many years, the person who Lebanese military and political leaders reported directly to on every major issue. Finally after years of dictatorship, he was brought to account by UN investigators (who are still compiling their report). The results of which are as yet unknown, but as Syria Comment plus noted on September 10 and September 12 the Ba'athist regime is running out of time. All it's cards have been played.
They no longer have Lebanon, the regime's authority has been significantly weakened by this. The gentle unscrewing and then tightening of the 'Damascus Spring' unleashed popular anger into public debate, but gave no outlet to vent frustration. Syria's economy is going nowhere due to the nation's pariah status and inadequate financial management. It doesn't even have WMD's to blackmail the west. Protests in Syria are, albeit unreported and small-scale, now more common than even 5 years ago.
Today's suicide by a top regime insider, shows fear exists within Syria's political elite. Why else would Kanaan have felt it necessary to end his life? He knows the game is up. Sooner rather than later, a public uprising or a coup is on the cards. As soon as the world (and eventually the Syrian people) learn the truth about the regime's involvement in the slaughter of Rafik Hariri, the people will no longer be scared.
Democracy is rising around the Middle-East and the UN's criticism's could not come at a worse time for the Ba'ath. The snowball events which are weakening the regime day by day lead me to ask one question.
Was the needless assasination of Rafik Hariri the stupidest political move Syria could have made?
Ghazi Kanaan took his own life at around noon today. Just hours before he spoke to the Sawt Libnan (Voice of Lebanon) radio station, at the end of which he said "I believe this is the last announcement I can make."
Kanaan was a pillar of the regime, and for many years, the person who Lebanese military and political leaders reported directly to on every major issue. Finally after years of dictatorship, he was brought to account by UN investigators (who are still compiling their report). The results of which are as yet unknown, but as Syria Comment plus noted on September 10 and September 12 the Ba'athist regime is running out of time. All it's cards have been played.
They no longer have Lebanon, the regime's authority has been significantly weakened by this. The gentle unscrewing and then tightening of the 'Damascus Spring' unleashed popular anger into public debate, but gave no outlet to vent frustration. Syria's economy is going nowhere due to the nation's pariah status and inadequate financial management. It doesn't even have WMD's to blackmail the west. Protests in Syria are, albeit unreported and small-scale, now more common than even 5 years ago.
Today's suicide by a top regime insider, shows fear exists within Syria's political elite. Why else would Kanaan have felt it necessary to end his life? He knows the game is up. Sooner rather than later, a public uprising or a coup is on the cards. As soon as the world (and eventually the Syrian people) learn the truth about the regime's involvement in the slaughter of Rafik Hariri, the people will no longer be scared.
Democracy is rising around the Middle-East and the UN's criticism's could not come at a worse time for the Ba'ath. The snowball events which are weakening the regime day by day lead me to ask one question.
Was the needless assasination of Rafik Hariri the stupidest political move Syria could have made?
posted by MattyJ @ 3:08 pm
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