“The administration of President Bush is exceptional. Perhaps there have been similar administrations in the past, but never one at the same level of violence and stupidity. The disputes between the hawks and the doves [in Congress] do not reach the level of violence directed [towards Syria]. Israel plays a central role in legislation connected to the Middle East and Syria.”
Those words, as translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) from the London-based Arabic newspapers al-Hayat and a-Sharq al-Awsat, encapsulate the Syrian view of the United States government. The statement was made by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq a-Shara at a July 27 press conference for Syrian journalists, during which he emphasized, “I do not express positions unacceptable to President Bashar al-Assad and to the Syrian people.” Oddly, however, MEMRI notes, “the majority [of a-Shara’s comments] did not appear in official Syrian government papers.”
Americans, according to a-Shara, “are impressed only by those who bow down before them. If you do not bow down before them, they dismiss you, and you are removed from the frame.” A-Shara continued, referring to the US Congress’ Syria Accountability Act, “The top American officials think any law issued by Congress is a law descended from the heavens.” But, “[h]ad [this law] been issued by a divine power, it would have been more modest, as Allah is merciful and forgiving,” the Syrian foreign minister remarked.
Israel is the mastermind of pressure on Syria, a-Shara explained to journalists. The Accountability Act, for instance, is counter to American interests, a-Shara said, and “Israel is the one who profits the most, if not the only one who profits, from these decisions.” He charged, “the US... is not interested in good relations with Syria, and this is because of Israeli pressure on the American administration. The heads of the American administration fear Israel, so how can they pressure it?” Similarly, the US demand to “dismantle Hizbullah is aimed at arousing all the ethnic and religious instincts to the point of civil war, and at again opening the door to Israeli intervention in Lebanon..... The U.S. wants to create a conflict between Syria and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, “Israel is fulfilling tenfold all the accusations directed at Syria,” a-Shara stated, “beginning with WMD and including terror.”
Those words, as translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) from the London-based Arabic newspapers al-Hayat and a-Sharq al-Awsat, encapsulate the Syrian view of the United States government. The statement was made by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq a-Shara at a July 27 press conference for Syrian journalists, during which he emphasized, “I do not express positions unacceptable to President Bashar al-Assad and to the Syrian people.” Oddly, however, MEMRI notes, “the majority [of a-Shara’s comments] did not appear in official Syrian government papers.”
Americans, according to a-Shara, “are impressed only by those who bow down before them. If you do not bow down before them, they dismiss you, and you are removed from the frame.” A-Shara continued, referring to the US Congress’ Syria Accountability Act, “The top American officials think any law issued by Congress is a law descended from the heavens.” But, “[h]ad [this law] been issued by a divine power, it would have been more modest, as Allah is merciful and forgiving,” the Syrian foreign minister remarked.
Israel is the mastermind of pressure on Syria, a-Shara explained to journalists. The Accountability Act, for instance, is counter to American interests, a-Shara said, and “Israel is the one who profits the most, if not the only one who profits, from these decisions.” He charged, “the US... is not interested in good relations with Syria, and this is because of Israeli pressure on the American administration. The heads of the American administration fear Israel, so how can they pressure it?” Similarly, the US demand to “dismantle Hizbullah is aimed at arousing all the ethnic and religious instincts to the point of civil war, and at again opening the door to Israeli intervention in Lebanon..... The U.S. wants to create a conflict between Syria and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, “Israel is fulfilling tenfold all the accusations directed at Syria,” a-Shara stated, “beginning with WMD and including terror.”