(Translated by: Elias Bejjani)
Published in Arabic on July 24/2000
(Syria's Defense Minister General Mustafa Tlas delivering a eulogy on Syria's late
President Hafez Assad's forty day remembrance in which he said, "Syrian achieved
marvelous military victories when it conquered Souk-Al-Karieb, (a Lebanese town in Mount
Lebanon), and Lebanon has never been an independent State in history."
Syrian stance rejecting the Sikes-Pico agreement indicate covertly that Syria is
actually rejecting its own existence as a state. One might comprehend from such stance
that Syrian leadership would prefer to go back to the Ottoman era and its Ottoman province
System. The utmost ambition through that obsolete system offered a local governor (Wali)
instead of an Ottoman ruler. It also indicates that France and England dismantled certain
Arab existing states to establish artificial ones, like the current republic of Syria.
In fact there was an Arabic plan to establish one big strong Arab State, but it did
take place for many reasons stemming from the will of both countries in power at that
time, France and England. This fact was taken into consideration when the borders of the
current Middle East countries in the region were decided. We do not wish to debate or
dwell on these reasons or on the aims of such decisions due to the fact that we do not
intend to involve again the foreign countries in our own affairs. These countries (France
and England) were initially behind the decision to establish new countries in the region.
Meanwhile although these issues mean a great deal to us and effect our future and the
everyday life of our own people, they are not any more a concern for France or England..
I personally believe that the best response to Mr. Tlas's mockeries will be through
displaying historical facts. Displaying facts in accordance to their chronology in a bid
to put an end to this forgery of history.
First Fact: Lebanon, both the distinguishable political identity and people has expressed
itself in many forms. Without dwelling deeply into Lebanon’s remote history, we know
that it was an independent entity at least at the beginning of this century. More
specifically in the year 1517 at the beginning of the Ottoman era. During that era Prince
Faker Eddine, known as the master of the land, (Sultan Al-Baer) established the well-known
Lebanese Maani Emirate.
The Maani Emirate enjoyed self-autonomy, had its own army as well as its own foreign
independent relations. Lebanese Princes cut numerous accords with foreign countries and
fought the Ottoman authority to maintain this kind of independence. Meanwhile the whole
surrounding entities, including the current state of Syria were divided into provinces
ruled directly by an Ottoman governor (Wali). Syria as it is known today has never been a
political, independent identity. The name Syria was given by the Greeks to a geographical
area located between Dejla -Euphrates rivers and Phoenicia. Syria was not a name for a
state.
In year 1920 the Lebanese entity was recognized as an existing state, and not as a newly
established one. At that time the existing borders of the Lebanese Emirate were taken into
consideration when the current Lebanese State borders were demarcated. The Lebanese
regions that were annexed to the neighboring provinces were returned to the state of
Lebanon.
During that era the current geographical Syria was divided into four small provinces, the
Alawi province, the Druz province, the Damascus province and the province of Aleppo. The
same status prevailed until the year 1925 when the province of Damascus was integrated
with that of Aleppo and both were given the name of the State of Syria. The four provinces
were joined together in year 1939 and called the Syrian Republic. The UN recognized this
newly established republic in year 1941 after it was liberated from the French Vichey
troops. Accordingly the current Syrian Republic is a product of the Sikes-Pico greement.
Mr. Tlas, who is older then the Republic itself, is no doubt well informed about the
history of his country. Without the Sikes-Pico agreement, the French occupation and the
UN, current Syria would have remained divided into four provinces fighting each other. I
doubt very much that Mr. Tlas is not fully aware of the French documents that exhibit
plainly the Alawi's stance in calling for an independent Alawi State. I am sure too that
he is fully aware of the names of the Alawi leaders who signed it. We conclude from all
these documented facts that Syria is the fake country the French created and not Lebanon.
Lebanon is historically a deeply rooted country dating back to when history itself started
to be documented, at least for the past 6000 years.
Mr. Tlas's objection and rejection to the outcome of the Sikes-Pico agreement is mere
empty propaganda. Mr. Tlas himself owes his existence to this agreement. If Mr. Tlas is
genuinely not happy about the Sikes-Pico agreement, he and his Alawi regime will have to
cancel it. Syria will then revert to its four provinces previous system. The core of the
problem lies in the fact that the Syrian regime is not protesting the agreement. Nor has
it complained to the foreign countries that provided it with a margin within which to
function. The regime endeavors to attribute all hardships and failures to the Sikes-Pico
agreement after it has been unsuccessful in establishing a national unity. Due to its
oppressive and hegemonic mentality, the Syrian regime has drifted towards a monopoly in
ruling Syria and has camouflaged its behavior with national ideology, that in reality is
no more then empty, deceptive slogans.
The Syrian sick mentality takes us immediately from inside Syria to Lebanon where this
super Defense Minister (Tlas) has been a genius in his accomplishments, especially in the
Souk Al-Karieb battle. He has quoted President Hafez Al-Assad as saying, "Souk
Al-Karieb was the battle of all Arabs, in each and every Arabic country. The Syrian Army
has played a logistic military supportive role and provided extensive shelling coverage
that was not experienced before in the history of warfare art. Souk Al-Karieb fell in the
hands of the resistance and the route to Beirut became accessible." Tlas added,
"When I informed President Assad of this victory, he responded, 'You have to tell our
friends in Lebanon to stop where they are now because the big powers have their national
dignity and it is not wise or acceptable to injure it"
We do not know what battle at Souk-Al-Karieb Mr. Tlas meant in his childish and
derisive statement because three major battles took place at that Lebanese mountainous
town. The first in September 10, 1983, the second in Sepember 22, 1983, and the last in
August 13, 1989. In these three battles no attacker was able to conquer the town, while
none of the attackers were able to retreat because all of them were killed. The bodies of
the attackers were handed over to the Red Cross. The Lebanese Army has never bragged about
the fact that it was successful in defeating the extensive Syrian shelling and the huge
number of attackers, although it has endured heavy losses and offered great sacrifices.
We could have been very happy if Syrian military support would have been offered to the
Lebanese Resistance during the two massive Israeli assaults on Lebanon: the Grapes of
Wrath and Accountancy operations. Both assaults destroyed badly Lebanon’s
infrastructure. At the same we would have felt better if the Syrians had directed their
extensive shelling against the Israelis during the 1967 and 1973 Arab-Israeli wars and not
against the Lebanese and their army. Such practices are considered unforgettable crimes
against humanity.It is both shameful and disgusting for Mr. Tlas to brag about his crimes
in Lebanon and parade them as military victories. At the same it is pathetic that the
subservient behavior of the Lebanese authorities has reached such a stage of advanced
blindness and treason. How, for heaven's sake, can the Lebanese officials sit quietly and
listen attentively to Mr. Tlas's lies and assaults against Lebanon without summoning the
courage to end his delirium-like state.
We have to credit the Syrian regime for its ability to analyze and comprehend the
'facts' in accordance with its twisted and sick mind. This regime apparently has
discovered the dignity of the big powers after its defeat and then tried to hide behind
it. Its figures are trying accordingly to justify their shameful retreat and defeat in
every military battle in which they were engaged.
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Tlas's rhetorical attacks against any brotherly country
are usually mere camouflage. They are nothing more than a pathetic attempt to cover
certain conspiracies against another brotherly or friendly country. It is definite that
the Syrian fleet was not supporting the Lebanese people nor protecting their welfare when
it besieged Lebanon from the Gulf to the ocean and cut all supplies.
Even the imbeciles know by now who gave Syria a green light to invade the Free Regions of
Lebanon on October 13, 1990. During its barbaric invasion, Syria massacred hundreds of
innocent Lebanese civilians and military personnel by hanging, mutilation, decapitating
and shooting after a cease-fire was announced. The Syrian regime committed and still
commits in Lebanon the most horrible and disgusting crimes. Crimes condemned by all
international laws and declarations of human rights.
The only good to come out of Mr. Tlas's statement is that he has openly and publicly
admitted that Syria was and still is behind the ongoing war in Lebanon. Mr. Tlas has
admitted without a doubt that the so-called 'Lebanese civil war' was and remains to this
day the war of others, especially the Syrians, against Lebanon and its people.
The Lebanese minority politicians and mercenary that shared with Syria its devastating war
against their country and people are nothing more than a bunch of mere drums. Bereft of
all values or conscience, they echo their masters' lie alleging the Lebanese war was a
civil one. Under the deceptive cover of these mercenaries Syria executed an international,
regional plan that plunged Lebanon into hell. This vicious plan did not and will not
rescue
Syria.
He who is in trouble should keep quiet. We advise Mr. Tlas to do so.
August 8/2000
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