Syria Tampering with UN Resolution

Bashar Al-Assad really should be a bit more subtle. Can anyone actually give credence to his claims?

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has expressed strong opposition to the deployment of U.N. troops along his country's border with Lebanon, saying such a move would be "hostile" to Syria and create problems between the two nations.

"This negates the sovereignty of Lebanon," Al-Assad said in an interview Wednesday with Dubai TV. "No country in the world accepts having soldiers of another nationality patrolling its border."

"They are taking sovereignty away from the Lebanese government and giving it to other forces while they talk about spreading that sovereignty," he said. "This is a hostile position towards Syria and will naturally create problems between Syria and Lebanon."

Funny, the Lebanese have agreed to this, so why would he assume that he can speak for the government of Lebanon? Not to mention that he completely misses the point that this is a UN force with no real direction. To prove that point, here's the quote from a French General.

"The Israelis cannot ask UNIFIL [United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon] to disarm Hezbollah. This is not written in our mandate," French Maj. Gen. Alain Pellegrini, commander of the 2,000-member force, told reporters at UNIFIL headquarters in the coastal town of Naqoura, according to AP.

But Koffi is rushing to the rescue. I'm certain the issue will end with nothing happening, like usual.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will visit Syria as part of his trip to the Middle East -- which begins Friday -- as he pushes for adherence to the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

Annan will also visit Israel, Lebanon, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Iran and will talk with the Palestinian Authority.

"The focus of the trip" will be implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701, Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. "If other issues come up, they come up," he added.

Italy is still offering to make the French look like little girls, not that that is difficult. Though the Security Council's continuing to dither on an actual resolution is ensuring that nothing will happen.

Keep up the good work UN!