Syria is currently coming under mounting US pressure, writes Ibrahim Nafie The suicide of Ghazi Kanaan, Syria's interior minister, has complicated life for the Syrian regime, fuelling allegations that it is somehow connected with Syrian security involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri. The Syrians have been playing down Kanaan's suicide: others, though, are using it to bolster their case. Detlev Mehlis, the German prosecutor investigating Al-Hariri's assassination is due to submit his report on 25 October. Kanaan was head of Syria's security services in Lebanon for nearly two decades and, claim some, the country's de facto ruler. Predictably, Washington and Tel Aviv launched a campaign against Syria, leaking reports that Washington is contemplating military strikes against training camps on Syrian territory allegedly for Iraq-bound Arab fighters. Israeli sources claim Washington is coordinating closely with Tel Aviv and that Israel has advised the Americans to focus on changing the conduct of the regime rather than the regime itself. It is clear that Washington wants Damascus to change its policy across the gamut of Lebanese, Iraqi and Palestinian issues. The US, believing that Syria's current policies are regionally disruptive, also believes that, should it change its ways, Damascus can promote regional stability. Washington is rumoured to have asked Damascus to close all training camps for Iraq-bound fighters, tighten controls along its border with Iraq, refrain from intervening in Lebanon and stop all aid to Hizbullah. Syria is said to be thinking about it. I don't want to discuss the validity of US accusations against Syria. What matters is that the Syrians are in a tight spot. Washington wants to force Damascus to change its policy to suit US objectives. Syria has been on the US list of countries sponsoring terrorism for years. The Syrians have tried to cooperate with Washington over a number of issues but have so far failed to remove their country from the said list. The more the Americans run into trouble in Iraq the more they seem to turn the heat up on Syria. Iraq is the obvious bone of contention. Several skirmishes have taken place recently between the Americans and the Syrians along the Syrian-Iraq borders, perhaps even inside Syria though no one seems disposed to discuss that matter. But one thing must be clear: any US military operation against Syria, or even the imposition of sanctions against Damascus by the Security Council, will be viewed as a hostile act by the Arab world. Unfortunately, Arab countries do not have much to offer the Syrians in the event of a showdown. What happens next depends on what the Syrians do. They can push things to the point of no return or defuse matters. Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad opted for the latter when he voiced his country's willingness to fully cooperate with the UN and deal objectively with Mehlis's findings. The Syrian president has agreed to the trial of any Syrian official accused of involvement in the assassination, either in Syria or abroad. The Syrians have demonstrated their goodwill, which could help defuse the crisis. But some in the region -- particularly in Israel -- want to see the crisis worsen. Syria is in dire straits and needs to weigh its policies and actions carefully. Certain parties want to see US strikes against Syria. They hope to see Damascus further isolated through UN Security Council resolutions. While Arab countries have little to offer Syria at the moment, should Damascus do more to defuse the crisis they will be in a better position to help out.
