From: eliedw@ulrik.uio.no (Elie Dib Wardini)
Subject: Re: The Syrian security point of view
Organization: Univerity of Oslo, Semitics dep.
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 20:45:12 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.142219.8983@prism.poly.edu> 

the person who sent this e-mail writes:


>To answer your questions and Mr. Guailluame's; what right did france have
>in the 19230s or so of taking a very large chunck of syria (8/10 of
>present day Lebanon) and forming a new state called Lebanon. We all Know
>there was only a  Mount Lebanon, not a state of Lebanon.

When did a state of Syria exist?

What was Syria before it was artificially created by France?

Where did the name Syria come from?

Who are the Syrians?

When did Syria ever manifest itself as unite?

What did the French and Britsh want in the Middle East.


If we want to be able to have any decent conversation we should at least go
read some books and find out what is fact and what is interpretations!

I do not want to say that my statements are free of any interpretation. But I
try also to present facts!
let us see the examples:

>Also Syria must
>have a strong presence in lebanon due to the following reasons:


>1. I grew up in Syria in the 70s, I lived about 15 km from the the so
    called lebanese border (Tripoli). Almost every night Isreali Jets
    would come over the area I lived in through Lebanon and Bomb the Hell 
    out of Syrian positions.

which positions? In Lebanon or in Syria? were they the bombs that were flung at
the Syrians by Israel, The Palestinians or the Muslim brothers? Maybe they were
flung at them by the Lebanese forces? Whom did the Syrians retaliate against?

>
>2. Lebanon have always lacked a strong position against isreali attacks
    on Syria through the Lebanese territory, and had no defense what so
    ever.
>

When did Israel attack Syria? was it just by chance that the Syrian soldiers
were in the Lebanese Bekaa? Why did not Syria attack Israel in it's heart from
the Golan heights?

Whe did Israel invade Lebanon? before or after the Syrians?


>3. Lebanon is only about 40 km across, and Syria could not detect isreali
    jets in time to react and avoid the ditruction that took place
    constantly.
>

I suggest Syria finds itself some other neighbours! fatter this time!

Syria in 1982 controled part of MOunt Sannine, they had mount Barouk, they had
the most sofisticated Russian weaponry! in one day they lost 80-90 fighters
(the best migs ever built) against 1-2 or 3 Israeli planes. The whole set of
anti aircraft batteries that the occupying Syrian army had installed in the
occupied Bekaa, were destroyed in one day!

I imagine, the Russians were crying that day! After this event! the Russains
themselves, it is said, manned the batteries!

THerefore, Whether Syria is in Lebanon or not it has a security problem. 

If you ask me, its problkem comes from within! (remeber the Syrian pilot who by
chance managed to fly to Israel?

When Syria will be able to put itself on its feet, and start becomeing a
country where the rights of peole are respected then come and knock on our
doors so that we can cooperate!

Now we have our own dictators and crooks to deal with. We need no Syrian nor
any other dictators to add to our troubles!

Syrian dictator go home! Syrian peace loving neighbour come and let us eat
bread and salt together!

>4. Lebanon could not stop the PLO presence in its territories and could
    not defend its self against Isreal. Lebanon's security is extremely
    important to syria's security.
>

Who, tell me, was it who armed and supported the PLO? Tell me who threaten to
close their border's to Lebanon in 1968, 1969, 1973 when the Lebanese army
tried to control the PLO?

Who introdiced the Revolutionary guards into Lebanon?

Who is harbouring terrorists?

It is also true that Syria is very important for Lebanon's security!

we need a democratic Syria, a democratic neighbour!

We should not tolerate that our neighbours behave like animals against their
oun population and behave like beasts aginst the Lebanese!

We are willing to help the Syrian people with anything we can! But all based on
mutual respect!

It is very important to remember that there are  two sides to every story!

Now I am angry!


elie wardini