Michel Suleiman-Bashar Assad Lovefest

From Naharnet (April 30, 2008):

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman has spoken to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by telephone to thank him for his supportive stance, local media said Wednesday.

Allo Hayati? Supportive of what? His blocked (by Syria) bid for the presidency? I guess it’s always good to kiss up to Bashar if you want a political future in Lebanon, or even if you just want to live if you happen to be a high ranking official living next to your lovely neighbor.

Assad, in an interview with Qatar's Al Watan newspaper last week, praised Suleiman, describing him as a "good" person.

Thanks Bashar, we all know you are the final arbiter of good and evil in the region. I hope Michel-Sally-Fields is happy: “they like you Micho, they really like you!”

"This is Syria's point of view (regarding Suleiman). It is also the (Lebanese) opposition's point of view," Assad said.

Syria does not meddle in Lebanese affairs. It does however have a point of view on the presidential election (and everything else Lebanese) and speaks for the independent opposition. It’s one of those Zen-middle-eastern things, like the sound of one hand clapping, that only Hassan Nasrallah and his useful idiot Michel Aoun understand.

Here’s the best part:

Suleiman also thanked Assad for going back on his decision to receive Lebanese army officers for military training [in Syria].

You see, Lebanon stopped sending officers for, ahem hem, “training” in Syria after the assassination of PM Hariri. We all should be very thankful now because our officers were missing out on important military lessons: how to defend impregnable positions like the Golan, or how to shoot down dastardly enemy planes bombing innocent North Korean facilities.

And lastly, another cliche straight out of 1984 and good old Soviet era Newspeak:

Suleiman and Assad also discussed "ways of coordination and cooperation" between the two armies.

Haven’t we had enough “coordination and cooperation” during the 30-year invasion of Lebanon by Syria? How about a little break from all that cuddling? And how about calling things by their real name like: “infiltration and endoctrination”?


PS In the meantime, that impotent master of the obvious and of the lame, Pat Sfeir, was telling us, well, the obvious and the lame, yet again.