Syria offers safe haven to US nationals fleeing Lebanon

[allemand]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Syrian embassy said it was offering "safe haven" to Americans and other citizens wishing to flee Lebanon, where nearly 200 civilians have been killed during a massive Israeli military bombardment.

"Now, while thousands of United States citizens are stranded in Lebanon attempting to flee the ongoing massacre there, Syria has opened its borders to US citizens as well as citizens of other nationalities," the embassy said in a statement.

"In Syria, US and citizens of other nations find a safe haven from the barbaric and atrocious acts of the Israeli army in Lebanon," it said, adding that already a "huge influx of US and foreign nationals" have entered Syria.

Syria was waiving visa requirements for entry and offering "all sorts of humane assistance to the thousands of refugees coming from Lebanon including medical attention," it said. "From Syria, US citizens can return safely home."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060717/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictlebanon_060717184243

I wonder if there is more to this than just an offer of help. Could it be that Syria wants to "come out of the cold" and wishes to establish better relations with the US?

[bdamomma]

1. Syria should not be considered as the enemy

the bush regime has isolated all of our allies. Syria wants to do more for Americans than our own government.

[uppityperson]

2. Nice of them but I wouldn't go there, huh uh, no way

my immediate cynical thought is human shields in Syria. Cyprus sounds like a better dea.

[krispos42]

4. Ooooo, that is cynical!

Here's hoping your wrong!

[pitohui]

8. of course uppityperson is correct

there's a thin line sometimes between cynicism and plain old horse sense

[uppityperson]

9. neighhhhhhhhhh

trying to decide the difference between cynical and sardonic, am a pessimist, so settling on cynical.

[Vidar]

21. Shame on Syria for offering to save lives.

[Dead_Parrot]

11. It's a long walk...

Just sayin' :)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. they didn't work very well as human shields in Lebanon.

:shrug:

[The Stranger]

24. Then think again. And try to look past the Neocon propaganda.

Do us all a favor.

[bennywhale]

30. Exactly true uppity. The Syrian government is not in the business

of being nice for no reason. Its such an obvious political move its almost childish.

However if its the only way out i'd take it. There's no way US citizens would be mistreated there at the moment.

[krispos42]

3. They probably don't want US deaths

That might spark ol' Georgie to bring out his six-shooters and open up in the area.

Ewww, George Bush in chaps. Ugh, I need mental floss.

Anyway, I would still like to extend my thanks to Syria for getting foreign nationals out of the combat zone. CNN is reporting that a Greek-flagged cruise ship has been charted by the US State Deptartment and is going to remove Americans from the area. It will be escorted by a US destoryer.

[FyurFly]

14. Could have been worse!

You could have imagined W in assless chaps :)

[CoffeeCat]

5. I think Syria/Iran are attempting...

...to thwart BushCo's PNAC goals.

Everyone paying attention knows that the neocon warmongering pigs have their sights
set on Iran and Syria. Pull up the PNAC page and the plan is right there.

I think both Syria and Iran know that they are next in line. I think they are
sincere in their latest offers, but I also think that they are attempting to throw a
public relations wrench into the neocon war machine.

Syria just released info on this very gracious gesture, and within the last couple
of hours--Iran openly encouraged Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon to release the Israeli
soldiers who were kidnapped. Iran is attempting to broker peace between the two nations.

I think both countries realize that this mess provides an open door for the BushCo
thugs to blame and propagandize both countries. Every time Junior opens his mouth
about this crisis, he focuses on the roles of Syria and Iran--and blames them.

If Syria can help Americans escape Lebanon and help other refugees; and if Iran can
catalyze peace---while thwarting the half-witted evil plans of the neocon bastards--
I see the entire world winning.

[uppityperson]

10. It would be nice to have this be a for real thing

Nice of them to offer, will see what happens in next few days. It would be very nice to have this scenario happen.

[The Stranger]

25. Where do you get this strange notion that it isn't "the real thing"?

Is this a Coca-Cola ad or something?

[muryan]

20. Iran is doing no such thing

It has been an agitator during this entire conflict, not the mention the primary financer and weapon supplier of hamas and hezbollah.

[The Stranger]

26. Oh give it up.

Everyone can see that it is Israel that is bombing another nation's innocent civilians into oblivion.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

33. Hezbollah is made of KITTENS!

[The Stranger]

36. Then they're not hitting the "kittens" -- they are hitting innocents, and

they fucked up the government and the best chance they ever had of beating Hezbollah.

[pitohui]

6. ha ha will they have to socialize with david duke?

why do i not believe "they're all heart"

far from wishing to establish good relations w. usa, syria prob. just wants some hostages to fortune in syria that are more likeable than the former kkk grand dragon who's always over there hawking his latest hate lit

[Poll_Blind]

7. Cross Reference this thread...

Newsweek:Syrian intelligence helped avert two major attacks on U.S. target

PB

[lumpy]

15. Cooperation from Syria doesn't matter.

THey are still terrorists in the eyes of Bush lovers.

[54anickel]

22. Thanks for th link PB...eom

[bananas]

13. k&r nt

[wakeme2008]

16. since the US is only using a cruise ship for 750 passengers

I would be beating feet to Syria vs waiting for my place in line on the ship.

[Bush_MUST_Go]

17. Syria has nothing at all to lose by offering.

If it were me, I'd wait to evacuate Lebanon safely & not head towards a country that everyone knows bush DESPISES.

Syria is looking for political pawns & if they are attacked, ready made hostages.

[Supersedeas]

37. like the Titanic, the rich have lifeboats that are only half-full

[FormerOstrich]

18. I think this is excellent....

I think Syria and Iran are frightened....I know I am. There seems no doubt they would be looking out for their own self interest. Additionally, they have seen that this administration doesn't look out for it's citizens (Katrina). They are very smart to find a win-win element in the current darkness. The Middle East cultures are very welcoming to guests and extremely gracious hosts. No doubt many of the US citizens in Lebanon ancestry is in the Middle East.

Sigh.. It's almost painful to imagine how rich the world could be if peace could trump war.

Personally, for whatever the motivator, I thank Iran and Syria for what are very positive moves. Certainly, there are many heads of states (I refuse to say leaders) that would have thumbed their noses.

[Endangered Specie]

19. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

[Just Me]

23. They know BushCo doesn't give a damn about its own citizens.

They may very well prove by their own actions that they ARE on the moral high ground compared to the neocon clan.

[outofbounds]

27. Syria needs some

hostages, leverage if you will. It looks like they will need it quick.

[allemand]

28. BS. He doesn't say that they should stay in Syria, but that they "can

return safely home" from there. In fact, there are many possibilities: by bus to Turkey or Jordan, by ferry to Cyprus and by plane anywhere else.

I even think that this is the most feasible plan to get most the 25,000 Americans out of Lebanon.

Israel has declared that for the moment they have no intention to attack Syria, and don't you think that the US could pressure Israel to wait with such an attack until all Americans have left the country?

Also, you seem to confound Syria with Iraq under Hussein or Iran under Khomeini. Syria isn't in the "hostage business", to the contrary, they are trying to develop their tourism industry (investing millions into that sector), and any "hostage taking" would totally ruin that for years to come.

[outofbounds]

32. Syria is a safe haven for Hezbollah, they support them.

Israel has declared that for the moment they have no intention to attack Syria, and don't you think that the US could pressure Israel to wait with such an attack until all Americans have left the country?
The key words in this statement is "for the moment". US pressure Israel. Urge is more appropriate. The Lebanon Syrian border is not a safe place.
And the slip is out. "Syria to tell Hezbollah to stop doing this sh*t". If Israel finds out that resupply is being perpetrated by Syria, Katie bar the doors.
The US is not going to force Israel to stop fighting for the right to live.

[allemand]

34. I didn't know that Israel's "right to live" depends on bombing American

citizens who are just passing through Syria. :eyes:

On edit: It is also not true that Syria is harboring Hezbollah. Perhaps you confused it with the Hamas leadership?

[outofbounds]

38. I've yet to hear of any US casualties.

Thats not to say there has been none. Syria is allowing Hezbollah to bring weapons across its borders into Lebanon. Plain and simple. Lebanon Govt. Has no control over its own land, it has allowed Hezbollah to infiltrate it instead of disarming it as it was supposed to do. In turn allowing Hezbollah to build up along the border.

[nealmhughes]

29. These aren't tourists from Peoria trapped in Beirut.

Most of them are retired US citizens who were former residents of Beirut. A lot of them are kids visiting their grandparents. Some are businessmen. Nearly all are Arabs, and Christians at that! Syria has a huge Christian population, as well as an Arab population, by the way...
In other words, people a little bit west of Damascus would be going to Damascus....

[magellan]

31. I thought Israeli was bombing the routes out of Lebanon into Syria?

If that's true, and it were me, the great risk of dying "on the road to Damascus" at the hands of an Israeli F-16 is what would give me pause -- not fear of ulterior motives on Syria's part.

[JVS]

35. Nice gesture, but in the situation I would want to go to Cyprus or Turkey