One man's freedom fighter...

...is another man's get out of jail free card.

At Gates of Vienna, they're drooling over Rick Moran's commentary on the U.N.'s Hariri Assasination report, specifically this quote:

"The assassination of Rafiq Hariri was a Syrian blunder of monumental proportions. It has isolated Syria from most of the international community. It has placed Syria in a much weaker military position in the Middle East. And it has placed the rule of Bashar Assad himself in danger. On top of all that, the act of assassinating Hariri failed to achieve the desired result, and indeed had the opposite effect: it united the Lebanese opposition who, with the courage of and determination of the Lebanese people, kicked the Syrians out of Lebanon for good."

Now, why I disagree with this assumption, line by line:

"It has isolated Syria from most of the international community."

Is that because the U.N. sent an investigator, or because the U.N. is now demanding that Syria set up an investigation into the matter, based on the conclusions of the U.N.'s investigation? Which brings me to the rhetorical question of the day: If a muslim nation shouts "guilty" in a Lebanese forest, but only Palestinian militants bussed in from Damascus are there to hear it, does the confession count? Oooh, the U.N. is getting on Syria's case-- does that mean Iran's reconsidering bringing the schwarma to Kofi's birthday party this year?

"It has placed Syria in a much weaker military position in the Middle East."

By "weaker" you mean Syria's sitting on the sidelines while Egypt and Saudi Arabia go to bat for their best friend? If anything, the assasination of Hariri proved valuable in three ways. One, Syria eliminated a long time enemy. Two, they gave the Arabian alliance the bargaining chip they needed to get out of those sticky "sanction" threats the U.S. had been getting louder and louder about. Thirdly, and most importantly to them, the Arabs get to stick it to Israel once again. Seems like Syria's "loss" is the Arab world's gain, huh?

"And it has placed the rule of Bashar Assad himself in danger."

You're never safe when you're allied with the caliphate. That fact aside, Assad will probably, eventually get deposed. Don't worry, though, it isn't as if he hasn't already made plans:

"Assad has developed more than one lifeline. In addition to the Saudi-Egyptian rescue plan, he is cozying up to Moscow and to Tehran for an escape or counter-gambit against the US-French drive to bring him down and the UN investigator’s findings."

As long as Assad plays along, he'll make out just fine.

"On top of all that, the act of assassinating Hariri failed to achieve the desired result, and indeed had the opposite effect: it united the Lebanese opposition who, with the courage of and determination of the Lebanese people, kicked the Syrians out of Lebanon for good."

Yes, the next day the Syrians were forced to dismantle their official outposts and offices in Lebanon. But are they really gone? According to Michael Totten, "The Arabic-language media is reporting daily on the smuggling of Palestinian guerillas and heavy artillery across the Syrian border into Lebanon."

Also, let's not paint the picture of the miraculous Lebanese, campaigning tooth and nail for freedom here. This isn't 1776, and I have yet to see any Mahmoud Washingtons or Abu Henrys appear from the cedar forests. Right wing patriotism is a wonderful thing, as long as it maintains a healthy pragmatic perspective. Just because we believe in values like freedom and democracy doesn't mean that every other nation seeking to be liberated believes wholeheartedly in having a president instead of a caliph. Remember, no matter what, these people hate Jews, hate Israel, hate the United States, and hate the West just as much as their Syrian brothers. Don't think for a minute that if they were actually allowed to fight independently, they wouldn't immediately join the Jihad.