Syria's Deadly Bargain

New Republic: Why Damascus Won't Stop Harboring Terrorists, No Matter How Hard We Try

(The New Republic)  This column was written by
Lee Smith.

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The Bush administration has quietly authorized U.S. forces to attack Al-Qaeda bases around the Middle East--an escalation in the war on terror that Eli Lake first revealed two weeks ago in The New Republic and that The New York Times reported on this week. One of the administration's most recent targets was Syria, where it struck Al-Qaeda leader Badran Turki Hishan al Mazidih last month.

Though Syrian officials feigned ignorance at Al-Qaeda's encampment within its borders, the reality is that the country not only tolerates the presence of terrorists, but encourages them to use the country as a safe-haven, headquarters, and transit point. Why does Syria continue to harbor terrorists, knowing that it places the country squarely in the crosshairs of the Bush administration? Particularly in light of Syria's historical problems with its own Islamist groups, why would it welcome radicals from across the region? Finding the answer to these questions is crucial in trying to defeat one of the Middle East's most prolific boosters of terrorism.

To better understand Syria's motivations, I visited Abdel Halim Khaddam, Syria's former vice president, in Brussels, where he was leading a meeting of the National Salvation Front (NSF), a Syrian opposition group. Having served under both Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar, Khaddam is well-acquainted with the strategic and political exigencies driving the regime's support for terror. "Fighting the Americans in Iraq is very dangerous," he tells me. "But it also makes Bashar popular. Under the banner of resistance, anything is popular."

Thus, it seems the first reason Syria backs these militants is because it wins public acclaim. As is the case in many countries across the Arab world, most Syrians distinguish between terror and resistance. They define the former as violence that hurts Syrians and Syrian interests--such as the Muslim Brotherhood's war against the Syrian state in the late 1970s and early '80s, for example. But resistance is the violence that the Syrian regime makes possible at the expense of other states--from Lebanon to Israel to Iraq--strengthening its position as the self-described "capital of Arab resistance."

For instance, when Hezbollah went to war against Israel in the summer of 2006, it hurt not only Israel but the majority of Lebanese, who were not standing with Hezbollah. But Syria's logistical, financial, and political support for the Islamic resistance burnished Assad's credentials at home, while also earning him respect across the region. If other Arab rulers, like Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and Saudi king Abdullah Al-Saud, were, in Assad's words, "half-men," the Syrian had shown himself to be a citadel of anti-Zionist, anti-Western resistance, the most popular Arab leader after Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

Support for terror is also a significant element in Syria's attempt to exert power over its neighbors. In addition to hosting groups that target Israel, like Hamas and Hezbollah, Syria has long maintained a broad portfolio of regional terror outfits, from secular organizations like Abdullah Ocalan of the Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK) and Palestinian rivals to Yasser Arafat, to Salafi groups like Shaker al-'Absi's Fatah splinter organization, Fatah al-Islam. And as the recent US attack on Bou Kamal illustrated, Damascus hosts significant Iraqi assets, such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Syria also uses these groups as insurance against the subterfuge of fellow Arab regimes. "Before 1970, Syria was the place where other people interfered," Obeida Nahas, a Muslim Brotherhood representative with the NSF, tells me. Ever since Syrian independence in 1946, coup followed coup, all of them backed or instigated by outside actors, including Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and even the U.S. "When Hafez al-Assad came to power," Nahas explains to me, "he made a pre-emptive counter-attack to interfere in other regimes before they could get to Syria."

Nahas's father-in-law, Ali Sadr al-Din al-Bayanouni--the leader of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood in exile, who spent two decades living in Jordan--is himself an illustration of this strategy. Amman's relationship with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood is part of a long-standing rivalry, in which the Jordanians back Syrian Islamists like al-Bayanouni as a threat to the Damascus government, and Syria, in turn, supports elements of Jordan's Islamist opposition, like the Islamic Action Front. While this game of chicken seems to risk Islamist blowback, it is a key strategy in Arab balance-of-power politics.

The Syrians have similarly managed their relationship with Saudi Arabia, which has been at an all-time low since the 2005 murder of former Lebanese prime minister and Saudi ally Rafiq al-Hariri, which the Saudis blamed on Damascus. In December 2005, Khaddam made a big splash in the first part of a televised interview on the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya satellite network charging Bashar with the assassination, but then the Saudi royal family pulled the plug on the second part of the interview. The public rationale in Arab circles is that the Saudi kingdom is not in the habit of bringing down fellow Arab regimes. More likely, however, is that Damascus has an important card to play against the Saudis, who fear that Syria is holding several hundred Saudi fighters in prison; Damascus could embarrass the Saudis by publically announcing the existence of these extremists--or even worse, allow those jihadis to return home to fight the House of Saud.

This kind of leverage is not the only reason Syria keeps its jails stocked with foreign terrorists. According to Ghassan al-Mufleh, an NSF member who spent 12 years in Syrian jails for his Communist activities, this is also one of their primary ways of collecting intelligence, as well as tapping foreign agents to do their bidding abroad and subvert Arab rivals. Since Syria does not require visas from Arabs to enter the country, many terrorists use it as a transit point to places like Iraq, "so if they return from jihad alive and want to head home--Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco--they just say that they were working in Syria," Mufleh tells me. But this free flow also allows the Syrians to detain valuable operatives and "give them a choice--either they can agree to work for the Syrian services or they will be turned into their own home intelligence agency," he says. "It is an easy choice."

Shaker al-'Absi is a case in point. Along with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, 'Absi was sentenced to death in absentia by the Jordanian authorities for the 2002 murder of U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley in Amman. Syria rejected Jordan's extradition request for 'Absi and allegedly detained him in prison for a few years. He resurfaced last spring in a northern Lebanon refugee camp, leading Fatah al-Islam in its month-long battle with the Lebanese Armed Forces--part of Assad's plan to destabilize the Lebanese government, which the Syrian president describes as hostile to Syrian interests.

Syria's incessant meddling in Lebanon also illustrates a larger motivation for their support of terrorists. Long before the Americans touched down in Iraq, the Assads (father and son) recognized that supporting terror meant Washington would have to include Damascus in any of its regional dealings. For instance, U.S. policymakers have historically felt compelled to engage with Syria in order to secure peace in Jerusalem, since, as American officials euphemistically explain, Syria has the ability to "spoil" the Arab-Israeli peace process by unleashing their Hamas or Hezbollah clients. Thus, according to Khaddam, Colin Powell's efforts in May 2003 to convince Damascus to close its Hamas offices were futile. "The Americans should've known better," he says. "How could Bashar separate himself from Hamas? It's an important card for him, so why would he throw it away?"

But perhaps the most significant driver of Syria's support for terrorism is that it clinches the relationship with their only strategic partner in the region that is not a terrorist group. "Bashar helped the groups in Iraq because there is an arrangement with Iran to undermine the Americans," Khaddam says. He claims that Syria's decision to let Al-Qaeda use their borders to fight the Americans in Iraq is largely at the behest of Tehran: "Iran's ambitions in the region stretch from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean, which is against the interest of the Arabs and the West. Syria's alliance leaves it in the middle of the conflict but there is no way out of the relationship."

Khaddam dismisses the notion prevalent in some U.S. and Israeli circles that it is possible to split Syria from Iran. "Iranian influence is extensive," he says. If there are factions in the Damascus government, it is not about whether Syria should lean towards Iran or the West. "The disagreements are about personal interests and cuts of money, not Iran. Everyone agrees about Iran."

But as Mufleh notes wryly, Assad would do well to learn the lessons of Syrian history: It was his own father's decision to provide jihadis passage through to Afghanistan in the '80s that inadvertently helped defeat his Soviet patron. For all the good reasons to support "resistance," Tehran as well as Damascus may one day be on the receiving end of Islamist terror--a price infinitely higher than last month's U.S. raid on Syrian territory.

[hezboallah]

I meant" arab christians)*

[hezboallah]

Hello Mr. Peacetoyou1(my brother), you talked about many things:
*Knowledge: No doubt that it is the key to solve all problems, especially that knowledge which enables us to make difference between terrorism and resistance. The international law guarantees that each people under occupation have the right to fight the occupation army(and that is the case in southern Lebanon, Iraq, AND SYRIAN GOLAN HEIGHTS).
*"two sides to every story" I would say there are more than two sides to every story, every person has his/her view, but we are here talking about rights of people, to live in peace away from every kind of aggression, which is not available in the middle east for many reasons%u2026.
*"the united states chose a side" it has the right to choose, but not any side. You have to stand side by side with people who want their freedom(not like what happened, and still happening in Iraq, Do you know about arab chriatians, they fled from Iraq to Syria, hundreds of thousands of them resorted to Syria, and as I know the occupation forces is responsible for people under occupation, that is at least what the intl. law says. Not to mention 1,6 million Iraqi refugees living in Syria, which the US refuses to receive any on its land!
*the US supports Israel!Breaking news : leader of mafia killed in car explosion in tel aviv.( so Israel not only suffering from arabs!! Um.. I see%u2026 ) There are a lot to say,,, but there is no space.

[peacetoyou1]

Mr. Hezboallah I believe one of the most important things that make us human is our search for knowledge. There are always two sides to every story. I tried the link but couldnt get it to open. 1948 formation of Israel, must of meant that Palastine people lost title to the land they owned/really there lifes if they had no where else to go. Is that why you refer to occupation. What can be the solution to this other than the destruction of Israel? The org. you support does not wear clothing that Identifies them as the enemy to Israeli soldiers, voilation of the geneva accord. So when your organization kills soldiers, that would usually be from ambush? I know Hez. does not have the resources to fight Israel like another country would. But would it be best to arm both sides and let them annihalite each other? This seems to be more than just about occupation, religous beliefs, the wrongs that have occurred between jews and palastine both sides go back a very long time. Yet parts of temple mount are shared between peoples. The united states chose a side, at least in part probably due to money and WW2 persecution of jews etc. But until peace in the middle east, this world will be subject to complete devastation at some point in the future. IE Ter. acquire nukes and use them. Of course this is coming from an individual whos country was the first and last country to use nukes. Bi ling. people like yourself can provide us with a different perspective that maybe is lacking in american media.

[blonddur]

they are harboring terrorists because the WANT to peck a fight. They want to push the button...and start a necular war.

[bigolopossum]

Military strikes in Syria and Pakistan should be a daily,if not hourly occurance...

[bigolopossum]

Syria and Pakistan Are breeding grounds for terrorist.
These countries provide not only a safe haven for terrorists,but also support thier evil monitarily.Military strikes should be a daily if not hourly occurance.

[hezboallah]

If doesn''t work: put in youtube search:
Seymour Hersh on U.S. funding Lebanon and Gaza violence

[hezboallah]

Use this link it the first doesn''t work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vf82QKsp0

[hezboallah]

Use this link it the first doesn''t work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vf82QKsp0

[hezboallah]

Hello MR.Peacetoyou1, I would prefer to call you my brother. I know that the name ''peacetoyou1''is not your real name, but it is ok. It is not enough for us to say ''we want peace'' while our deeds contradict that. I am talking here about the US. I agree with all what you said, that is when I don''t know anything about the truths in the medeast. There are a lot of facts which American media insists to ignore. Last reference that try to read carefully what I am saying, and excuse me because my English language doesn''t help me much to convey my ideas as much as I wanted, anyway
*I said before and repeat I am against killing innocent people under any excuse or pretext, but I can''t remember that hezboallah (which I support) has attacked civillians, all their targets were Israeli soldiers occupied their land for tens of years%u2026.., by the way" I am Syrian" To sum up , go to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vf82QKsp0

[vmdeeb]

I wonder how many tome has Mr Smith visited Syria to make him an expert on politics in Syria, or is he an ASSuming Neoconsevative ?

[presjfk]

If not for oil, we the USA would have no reason to be in the Middle East and so that should be our goal. We need to get off oil and change our economy to renewable energy. We as a nation should be country first as the Republicans say - but not as the Republicans rule. We need to go back to a time where we were isolationists. Those that want to deal with us may, and those who hate us can go to hell.

[krescera]

History teaches us that violence is a way of life with some peoples.They will pay any price for the benefit of indulging in it.The only thing other people could do is to be ready to attack to defend themselves.

[secundus2]

Speaker Pelosi''s last visit to Damascus produced nothing at all, but the new administration can "hope" that Syria will make peace with Israel, co-operate with the UN investigation of the Hariri assassination, co-operate with the UN investigation of its bombed out nuclear site, and stop offering havens and transit to armed militant groups. Syria would be wise to do all these things and turn more to the Mediterranean world than to Iran. But we''ll have to see.

[peacetoyou1]

Hezboallah, I am interested in knowing what you consider a human being to be?. Someone who will kill innocent women and children in the name of a cause/religon is not a human being, they are a animal, and should be dealt with in that manner. Only the weak attack women and children. Female suicide bombers are not human beings. The US goverment is not a saint. But where would the world be with countries like Syria in charge? Thats a very scary thought isnt it? You bring up American Indians and the bad things the US goverment did to them. Conquering armies throughout time have conquered who they could. Who is the first army in history to stop short. The US in world war 2. You bring up native land, here in the US everyone is an immigrant, that includes the American Indian. The fight over Israel has been going on for centuries and will continue. At what point do you just try to find happiness and peace for you and your family. Certainly the poverty and hardship in the middle east is a huge problem for the world. How do you help a people who have nothing but despair and poverty? What is life to you mr. hezboallah. Do you believe when you martr yourself and go to heaven 37 virgins await. I have news for you, that is not heaven, that is hell!

[hezboallah]

I know that the writer of this essay can be everything , but can''t be human being. He is one of those oriented people,exactly like dolls, full of hatred agaist arabs who want to be free of american hegemony.but there is well-known proverb in english reads"Barking dogs seldom bite"

[timothyone-2009]

Anytime I come across an essay like this one which claims to know why a particular leader has chosen to "support terror", I know immediately I am dealing with a shoddy propaganda piece. Behind every act of so-called "terror" is a person or a group which has been offended and has decided that their only defense is to kill or frighten someone who can relieve their suffering or who can force the hand of someone who can. People are not born "terrorists", they become so when they see their peaceful families killed or driven from their ancestral land. Early Americans once called the American Indian "savages" and some even called them "terrorists", but like today''s Palestinians and yesterdays European Jews, these people are simply trying to find justice in an unjust world. Those leaders who chose to support them are supporting the victim and the cause, not some goofy George-Bushie simpleton-like term of demonization.

[hezboallah]

It is clear that the US is the 1st sponsor of Mafia and terrorists in world, and that run deep and has its roots in the history of the US. No one can forget the messacres committed against native inhabitants of what is called now" the US", by the way,this counrty is on its way to collapse, and that is natural.
Counrty without ethics, counrty without morals, country depends on hegemony, domination,by milirary forces, and last and not the least country withou economy!

[oriskany4]

CBS Oliver:

Nice troll - maybe the difference is that the US prosecutes the KKK, Mafia, etc.

[hezboallah]

*It is not fair to interview man called khaddam. This man is wanted for high treason in his country. He is responsible for crimes against humanity, not to mention the nuclear waste which he brought to his country and buried it in its desert.
* There is big difference between terrorism (which represented in ''former president'' of the US, Bush,and Ben Laden)and arab resistance(represented in hezboallah, Iraqi resistance). I am not talking here about alqaeda( because It is the legitimate son of the US(we can remember how the US feeded them in Afghanistan in past) and Saudi regime ( Saudi Arabia through its wahabi system constitutes the main source of creating terrorists), through thier alliance.
thus, you can''t blame country like Syria which suffered a lot from those terroists, and was the first country to fight them.