Sunday, May 30, 2010

Syrian President supports Islamism but doesn't like it

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad:



Asked by [PBS] interviewer Charlie Rose why his secular regime was supporting the Islamist movements [Hamas and Hezbollah] he said, “This is one of the things that they don’t understand in the West. If I support you, that doesn’t mean I’m like you or I agree with you. That means I believe in your cause. There’s a difference.

“We support the Palestinian cause, and Hamas is working for that cause. Hezbollah is working for the Lebanese cause, so we support that cause, not Hezbollah."



The irony here is that Middle East "expert" and staunch Israel foe Antony Loewenstein describes Assad's remarks as reflecting "reality" but roundly condemns all who support Israel's continued existence, failing to acknowledge it is possible to support the existence of the Jewish state without approving of, or admiring, all its actions.


Islamist supporter Loewenstein ignores probable Assad untruths, however:



Assad went on to dismiss accusations by the Israeli government that Damascus has transferred sophisticated Scud missiles to Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese Shiite political movement.

"This is a very good story by the Israelis," Assad said, adding that the Israelis have no proof of their accusations.

Assad's claims contradict a report published in the Times of London on Friday based on satellite pictures that supposedly show a Hezbollah-controlled weapons cache outside Damascus. A spokesman for the Syrian Embassy in London rejected the report, saying that if such a depot existed, it would be for the sole use of the Syrian army.



Note that Assad does not deny that Scuds have been transferred to Hezbollah. Perhaps Middle East expert Loewenstein could clear this up by investigating, which could be rather difficult considering that he's spent about as much time in the Middle East as I have flossing my teeth. Perhaps I should claim to be an oral hygiene expert.

4 Comments:

Anonymous Dan Lewis said...

Not that he's ever responded to his critics, however his head would spin if confronted with this. Loewenstein's entire analytical ability consists of plagiarising others and then sneering how horrible Israel is.

The amazing thing is, Hamas and most Arab despots are refreshingly honest in their views about Israel and Jews. Loewenstein however is not. Indeed he has the 'chutzpah' to claim from time to time that he is a friend of Israel. When cluelessness, arrogance and dishonesty combine, a terrible bullshit is created. It now has a blog...

6:32 PM  
Anonymous Chistery said...

What I think Assad is saying is that he hates the lebs and the palis, but he hates the jews most of all. I think Loewy is right in that Assad's remark reflects reality.

7:48 AM  
Anonymous Dan Lewis said...

Chistery,

All of the Arabs hate the Palestinians. They also hate each other. The one and only thing the Arabs all agree on, is hating Jews. Their 'support' for the Palestinians has never amounted to actually doing anything for them, other than cheering whenever they kill a few Jews.

The fact Israel is such a success compared to the complete failure that is the Arab World, makes it's mere presence a complete insult to their fragile Islamic egos.

8:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The fact Israel is such a success compared to the complete failure that is the Arab World, makes it's mere presence a complete insult to their fragile Islamic egos."

AND THAT FOLKS IS THE MOST SUCCINT AND ACCURATE COMMENT about the parlous state of the arab world and in particular the Hamas stewardship of its victims err I mean governed minions/sacrificial lambs etc.

Lowenstein, ha ha what a drop kick.


Have a read of this if anyone wants to understand why otherwise intelligent people need to believe the sort of rubbish he writes

http://pajamasmedia.com/richardfernandez/2010/05/31/the-consolations-of-philosophy/

7:39 PM  

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