U.S. Demands Hizbullah Withdraw from Syria
The United States on Wednesday demanded the immediate withdrawal of Hizbullah fighters from Syria, saying their active role in combat there was an "extremely dangerous escalation."
"This is an unacceptable and extremely dangerous escalation. We demand that Hizbullah withdraw its fighters from Syria immediately," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah confirmed last week that the group was actively fighting on the side of its close ally, Syria's President Bashar Assad, in the Syrian town of Qusayr near the border.
Psaki also condemned the "outrageous attack" on a Lebanese army checkpoint near the border on Tuesday that killed three soldiers.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, which was condemned by the Lebanese government and Hizbullah.
"These and other incidents are stark reminders that the conflict in Syria poses an incredibly dangerous threat to Lebanon's stability, the people of Lebanon and security," she said.
"We call on all parties to do their part to act with restraint and respect Lebanon's stability and security."
Hizbullah had long insisted its arsenal of rockets and other weapons would only be used to defend Lebanon from its southern neighbor.
But Nasrallah has said the group must now defend Assad's regime against an uprising increasingly dominated by hardline Sunni Islamists who view Shiites and Assad's offshoot Alawite sect as apostates.
Hizbullah's involvement in Syria has raised fears the conflict could spill over into Lebanon, where deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime have periodically erupted in the northern city of Tripoli.
Syria has long been a crucial conduit for arms supplied to Hizbullah by Iran. Iran, Syria, Hizbullah and some Palestinian groups view themselves as an axis of "resistance" against Israel and the West.
Hizbullah is believed to have sent at least 1,700 fighters to Qusayr more than a week ago to support the regime's assault on the rebel stronghold. France estimates that 3,000 to 4,000 Hizbullah fighters are operating in Syria.
Hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed in Qusayr and thousands could be trapped. The United Nations estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed since the initially peaceful uprising began in March 2011.
over 11 years
Netenyahu has ordered his ministers to no longer speak about the Syrian conflict..
over 11 years
it says it all.
over 11 years
one fact you cannot deny even with your hezbi propaganda mowaten: that syria NEVER tried to liberate the golan heights and they pretend to be "resistants" LOL and BIG LOL!
so it is clear that there is a secret agreemùent between syria and israel to keep golan heights calm in exchange to the assad family in power... see how hypocrit you hezbis are? LOL and BIG LOL!
over 11 years
"and thank god the syrian regime is smarter than the average online commenter, or else they would have been wiped out 30 years ago"
hypocrisy at its best with mowaten as i previously said and he is confirming it... so syria is a "resistant " country for hezbis that NEVER tried to fire a single bullet against israel but it is ok if lebanon is destroyed, or wiped out ...
but do not touch syria let it do its dirty deeds through lebanon... waw! what a patriot you are mowaten.... yes it is known for decades that the assads stay in power only if they do not try to liberate the golan... LOL you seem the only one to ignore it! LOL AND BIG LOL!
over 11 years
"tayb habboub, what did the saudis do? what did qatar do? they're very good at sending fighters and suicide bombers in syria, but what diud they send palestinians?""
typical case of deflecting the question, we are talking syria and hezbis ,not KSA or qatar... oh! and by the way you are spitting on hamas now because you claim that qatar and KSA are helping them... so you d better make up your mind! LOL and BIG lol!
"syria is the main supporter of HA" yes we all know that and that syria uses hezbis to do their dirty job... but of course you are not ashamed of this and by the fact that the syrians NEVER gave the official documents proving chebaa is LEBANESE thus falling under UN425... "resistant" LOL... if they were they would have liberated lebanon by giving the papers... but they need this EXCUSE to maintain your hezbis in power.
over 11 years
" when you're just repeating the silly propaganda you hear without even stopping for a second to notice how incoherent and silly you sound. "
i just prove how hypocrit hezbis and syria ARE and how incoherent your excuses were...
" but israel regularly bombs syria? where's the logic in that?" just to remind assad not to cross the red lines...he always promised to retaliate but what?? again NO BULLETS fired! LOL AND BIG LOL!!!
"you guys claim to be for lebanon's sovereignty, but that too is the most hypocrite thing your leaders ever told you and got away with. they're a dying to restore syrian control over lebanon, but only if it's a saudi regime in syria."
oh! but you still maintain the syrian regime in control of lebanon and you dare talk sovreignty ?!
"why do you think they dont want elections now? they want to wait hoping the rebels will win and put them in power in lebanon." oh! really? i thought hezb and amal were ok with that too!!!! LOL and BIG LOL!!!
over 11 years
"you are a desperate case, there is no worse blind than the one who refuses to see"
great you just sum yourself up... i give you facts while you cannot... LOL
over 11 years
yes sure mowaten we all know you know everything... that hezbis were never involved in syria as you said it, then they were only protecting villages, then they are taking too many casualties to hide their involvement...
yes sure mowaten we believe every word you and el manar say... brave little patriot you are...
over 11 years
MOOWate dodged every single question put forward against the claim that ASSad is "resistant" to Israel...typical ASSadite
over 11 years
FT are you that clueless about history? the ASSads have been "at war" with Israel for decades before the uprising.
over 11 years
If they don't then the US should add them to the list of terrorist organizations. Oh, they already are? OK.
over 11 years
Good to see that the coffins are NOT wrapped in the lebanese flags. I pray taht one day christian values of love and forgivemess prevail in the world.
over 11 years
U.S is keeping the balance between regime and rebels until both become weak enough to make concessions that would convene Israel and the new middle east.
over 11 years
when was the last tyime your surian mmaster attacked israle? LOL never.... they must be salafis then....
over 11 years
u guys make me laugh with your stupid comments. this war started and its between evil and good , its between the lovers for god allah almighty against the devil lovers "antichrist". i sure wont tell i which side is which , but i know each one of you knows thr bad from the good.
over 11 years
new world order is failing so far because they failed most of their objectives..... u guys need to wake up!!! the new world order wants depopulation, chaos,hunger, falling countries so they all end up agreeing for a new world order which is ruled by one country under the israeli regime!!!
Cut the BS.... US wants Assad, israel's ally since the 60s