Syria declares U.S. Middle East peace process dead

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=21244a0bf2937713

One day after a cease-fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the United States plan for a new Middle East has failed because of the achievements of Hezbollah against Israel.

President Bashar al-Assad told a conference of journalists in the Syrian capital, Damascus, that the Middle East vision the United States has aspired to has become an illusion. Instead, he said, the region has changed because of the achievements of the resistance, a reference to the Hezbollah militant group, which is supported by Syria and Iran.

He says this new Middle East is the one that Syria has repeatedly said is the only hope for the Arabs to attain a place in the world both politically and economically.
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Syria getting proactive...

[elliswyatt]

1. the failure was evident before this

yet suddenly, Hizbollah has the affection of many Arabs of different religions. They may hate or disapprove of Shi'a and the Islamic law, but they surely hope to emulate and support Hizbollah--it's a vague flashback to the panArab vision, seeking to prove Arab strength when we all thought they were so weak.

[evox]

2. Actually

having researched a bit, Hezbollah had the affections of many Lebanese since they were first established, and then they were admired even more after 2000 as it was believed that it was Hezbollah that drove the Israelis out of Lebanon. Also, when Hezbollah is not fighting, it is a very well organized community.

[elliswyatt]

3. true

i guess suddenly was a bad word. if anything, it has reaffirmed it, and perhaps drawn more in. time will tell. and they are very well organized. it will use the destruction of lebanon to garner more support. they have the resources.

[David__77]

4. ...and Sadr is the Iraqi analogue.

There can indeed be a pan-Arab unity. The Shia are key because they are disproportionately working class and oppressed.