The neo-conservative Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) happily informs us:
The editor of the Syrian daily Al-Watan, Wasah Abd-Raba, accused the Lebanese majority of sacrificing murdered Lebanese MP Walid ‘Eido in order to continue its plan to destroy and internationalize Lebanon. He said that it was obvious that the murderer came from within Beirut and had had security immunity—which only the supporters of al-Hariri and the March 14 Forces could provide.
It is not clear if the word “majority” is MEMRI’s paraphrase or Abd-Raba’s verbatim, but the March 14 Forces refers to the anti-Syria bloc which forms a majority in Lebanon’s parliament—taking their name from the date of the “Cedar Revolution” that forced Syrian military forces to withdraw in 2005, following the terror-blast assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The March 14 movement is led by Rafik’s son Saad Hariri.
Given that MEMRI has it own not-so-hidden agendas for Lebanon, we can assume they are calling attention to Syrian conspiracy theorizing in order to advance their own conspiracies…
Meanwhile, Samir Geagea, leader of the right-wing Lebanese Forces, accused Syria of having assassinated Eido “in a bid to reduce the number of parliamentary majority MPs” and “topple the government.” (Lebanon Daily Star, June 16)
A government statement from the official Syrian news agency SANA June 14 condemned the assassination of Eido, but also denounced “the fabricated lies and accusations” against Damascus.
Eido was killed in a bomb blast at a club in Beirut’s fashionable seaside Manara district June 13. His son and eight other were also killed in the blast. (Ya Libna, June 15)
See our last posts on Lebanon and Syria.
Conspiracy?
1. 7 anti-Syrian leaders have been killed in Lebanon since 2005.
2. 3 members of the current Parliament have been killed since the most recent elections — all members of the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority.
3. An NBN TV anchor (a station owned by opposition leader Nabih Berri) gloated on air, when she thought her microphone was off, “why did it take so long for them to kill him?” and speculated on which March 14 leader to kill next.
4. Walid Eido — along with Saad Hariri and Walid Jumblatt — was mentioned as a “traitor” to Syria and a spy of the West during the rallies in Damascus a few months ago, to celebrate Bashar al-Assad’s “re-election.”
Those are the facts. But please, keep on writing about MEMRI’s “conspiracy theorizing.” Free speech is one of our most important rights, even if it is frequently abused.
Conspiracy?
1. 7 anti-Syrian public figures have been assassinated in Lebanon since 2005.
2. 3 members of the current Parliament have been assassinated. All of them have been anti-Syrian figures.
3. After Eido’s assassination, an NBN TV anchor (an opposition station owned by Nabih Berri) gloated, “what took them so long to kill him?” and suggested that Minister Fatfat, another anti-Syrian leader, should be next.
Since you are so sure that MEMRI is fomenting a “conspiracy,” I have to ask: who do you think killed Eido? Why do you think he was killed, if not for his anti-Syrian views? It is when individuals start making up stories for other parties that could have killed Eido that the conversation degenerates into conspiracy-mongering.
We are agnostic…
…on who killed Walid Eido. We are merely noting that the conspiracy theorizing goes both ways.
MEMRI has made no secret of its agenda for Lebanon, and the greater Middle East. Even if, as seems probable, Eido was killed by pro-Syrian forces, MEMRI is still bringing al-Watan’s conspiracy theorzing to light to serve its own agenda. We are glad they did bring it to light, because we always like more information on principle. But it is a part of our responisibility to our readers to make clear the biases of our sources.