Al-Marada politburo member Karim Rassi to Al-Manar Website: Pressure would be suspended when Syria, in coordination with the Islamic Republic in Iran, decides to back the American presence in Iran.

Karim Rassi to Al-Manar Website:
For March 14 Forces…
Israel Neighbor, Syria Enemy!
Increase of Pressure against Syria…
Not a Coincidence;
Experience Has Proven:
March 14 Stances Not Effective;
Sabotage in Syria Not Related to Reform;
March 14 Forces Must Read History and Learn;
Saudi Arabia…
Shift from Semi-Arab Policy to American!

Al-Marada movement politburo member in Lebanon Karim Rassi said that what’s taking place in Syria is actually a form of sabotage carried out by armed terrorist organizations, and stressed that there was absolutely no link between the Syrian developments and the reform demands. 

In an exclusive interview with Al-Manar Website, Rassi said that Arab and international pressure against Syria reflects a high-level of political coordination. He remarked that all governments took the same stance at the same time, and questioned the ‘wisdom’ behind such ‘coincidence’.

Rassi did not find strange the stance of March 14 forces in Lebanon towards the Syrian crisis, and recalled that these forces have classified the Israeli enemy as a ‘neighbor’. He urged the March 14 constituents to perceive that the Syrian and Lebanese people constitute one unified nation, and that any change in the Syrian regime would negatively affect Lebanon, without any doubt.

SYSTEMATIC SABOTAGE

Rassi said that the Syrian developments cannot be classified as a ‘revolution’ no matter what the reasons were. He noted that there was a conflict in Syria between the regime and some armed terrorist organizations that fight under the name of reforms that they’re not even seeking. He spoke of a systematic sabotage against the state and its institutions and terrorism against the citizens, which urged the Syrian leadership to resort to military measures to protect its citizens.

While noting that it was impossible that four hundred Syrian soldiers be killed at the same time by ‘coincidence’, he said that the increase of the Arab and international pressure against Syria reflects a high-level of political coordination. He remarked that all governments took the same stance at the same time, and questioned the ‘wisdom’ behind such ‘coincidence’ as well.

He said that everything proves that there are terrorist operations taking place in Syria. In this context, he put all international pressure in a political framework, and said that Syria was actually giving lessons to the whole world. He further called on international governments to look after their own issues and stop giving lessons about patriotism, and referred to the incidents currently taking place in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

POLICY BASED ON ENMITY, NOT UNDERSTANDING

Rassi commented on the recent Saudi stance from the Syrian developments, and said it was part of the pressure against Syria. He said that the Saudi Arabian kingdom was at some time adopting a semi-Arab and semi-Middle East policy but, suddenly, turned to adopt an American policy, which is based on an enmity principle instead of understanding.

He said that the whole issue reflects an American and Western pressure, and expressed belief that pressure would be suspended when Syria, in coordination with the Islamic Republic in Iran, decides to back the American presence in Iran. He also pointed to the role played by the media in straining the situation, as some media panels affiliated with the American administration are exaggerating things and misleading the public opinion.

Rassi said Americans were seeking to reach a specific compromise with the Syrians according to which Syria would abandon the Resistance alongside its right in a comprehensive and just peace, as well as its strategic relation with the Islamic Republic in Iran. “If Syria accepts these demands, then the whole crisis will end, and President Bashar Assad will be backed by all of them,” he said.

WHAT ABOUT THE PALESTINE MASSACRES?

Turning to the internal scene, Rassi did not find strange the stance of March 14 in Lebanon towards the Syrian crisis. He said that these forces’ stance was not effective, and recalled that these forces have earlier classified the Israeli enemy as a neighbor. “Therefore, it’s not strange that they describe Syria as an enemy,” he went on to say.

Rassi noted that these forces have no solid stance. He recalled how they engaged in a fierce battle with Syria following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, and then apologized and simply claimed that they were ‘politically’ accusing Syria of involvement in the murder. He also recalled how these forces were the first to congratulate the Syrian ambassador in Lebanon and took part in the Syrian National Day at the embassy.

Commenting on former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s last statement in which he claimed that Lebanon cannot remain neutral in the face of the ‘open massacre’ taking place in Syria. He wondered why Hariri and his bloc did not see the open massacre taking place in Palestine, namely in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

While calling March 14 forces to read some history to perceive that the Lebanese and Syrian people actually constitute one unified nation, he stressed that Lebanon’s stability was directly linked to Syria’s stability. He warned that any change in the Syrian regime would negatively affect Lebanon without doubt.