Tensions are still running high between Syria and the United States, with hopes of rapprochement dashed, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus Suddenly, and without warning, the tone of US discourse on Syria has soured, recalling times of high tension such as during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri in 2005. Statements by President Bashar Al-Assad to the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper and Washington's response to them provided analysts opportunity to ponder the reality of the political dispute between the two countries, and how normalising relations between the two sides remains out of reach, against what the Syrians had hoped and were claiming. Syrian officials and media had expected US President Barack Obama to use the opportunity of the recess in the US Congress, which follows this month's US mid-term elections, to dispatch Ambassador Robert Ford to Damascus after the post was left empty for five years. However, the war of words between Washington and Damascus, triggered by Al-Assad's press statements, has surely put the return of the US ambassador to Damascus on the backburner. In interview with Al-Hayat, Al-Assad attacked US foreign policy, saying, "From our experience in recent decades, whenever the US enters a scene it becomes chaotic. All experience proves this. For example, are conditions stable in Afghanistan? Were conditions calmer after they interfered in Somalia? Did they bring stability to Lebanon when they intervened in 1983? There is not one place where they interfered without bringing turmoil to it. To be very clear on this, this is natural; they are responsible for the chaos." On the instability in Iraq, Al-Assad said: "The Americans created all the problems in Iraq. First, we blame the Americans; second, we blame our absence; third, any other reasons." Asked about obstacles preventing US-Syrian relations from returning to normality, Al-Assad stated: "The obstacle is that we do not say to anyone, including the US, "Yes" to anything unless we are convinced and it serves our interests... We have a clear position on the Palestinian issue, on developments in Lebanon, the role of resistance, on Iraq. Our positions are clear, and they are uncomfortable with this -- maybe not all Americans, but large portions in US circles." Al-Assad denied there was any form of security cooperation with the US -- not even on issues pertaining to Al-Qaeda. "We told them that we cannot participate in any form of security cooperation without good bilateral relations and political cooperation," Al-Assad stated. The Syrian president's statements irritated the US administration which was quick to respond that it was Syria's behaviour, not the US's, which is causing mayhem in the region. The first reaction came from Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley, who asserted that "recent Syrian behaviour and rhetoric has had a destabilising effect on Lebanon and the region, and has contributed to recent tensions." Crowley explained: "Certain actors within and outside Lebanon, including Syria, Hizbullah and Iran, may believe they stand to gain by escalating sectarian tensions in an attempt to assert their own authority over Lebanon." He added: "If the issue is who is playing a more constructive role in the region, we stand by our pledge to support a sovereign, stable, and independent Lebanon [and] strong Lebanese institutions, as the only way to realise the best interests of the Lebanese people and the region as a whole." Crowley concluded: "We believe we're playing a constructive role in the region and we believe that Syria is not." A statement read by US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice, after a Security Council meeting to discuss the secretary general's latest report on Lebanon, was another stark response to Al-Assad's statements. Rice said that Syria had "flagrant disregard" for Lebanon's sovereignty, and accused it of continuing to provide Hizbullah with sophisticated weapons, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1680 that calls on Syria to undertake measures to prevent the entry of weapons into Lebanon. Rice added: "Hizbullah remains the most significant and most heavily armed Lebanese militia." This would not have happened had it not been for Syria and Iran, who "believe that escalating sectarian tensions will help them assert their own authority over Lebanon." Rice's statement came in tandem with the views of Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, who visited several Arab capitals in the last month and escalated his tone against Syria and its allies in Lebanon. Once he came to power, Obama decided to change the formula of dealing with Syria and sent several US officials to talk with the Syrians about "issues of concern" that impede better relations. He also tentatively agreed in February to appoint a US ambassador to Damascus after a five-year hiatus, but these steps did not improve relations between the two sides. After visiting Damascus, several US officials said that the majority of issues of dispute remain and threaten improved relations. Meanwhile, the US has renewed economic sanctions against Syria several times. In the wake of Rice's statement, Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar Al-Jaafari was quick to deny the US's accusations, saying Washington ignored the findings of the UN secretary-general's report that stated it was difficult to independently verify information about arms smuggling between Syria and Lebanon. Al-Jaafari warned that Rice's statements could have "a very negative influence on the domestic scene in Lebanon and undermine the credibility of the Lebanese government." He added: "US relations with Syria are linked to many regional issues, something which American politicians understand more than anyone else." The state-owned Syrian newspaper Tishrin "strongly" condemned US claims against Syria, saying they threaten Lebanon's stability, especially that they come at a time when the Lebanese president and tens of Lebanese officials have declared that all accusations against Syria are unfounded. The newspaper said that the US administration was working "to serve Israel's interests, its occupation of Arab land, and violation of the law and legitimate international resolutions." The newspaper doubted Obama's intentions and hopes declared two years ago in his Cairo address, saying that he backtracked on positive promises because he is either unable to realise any of them, or is unwilling to reform US foreign policy and the ways of hegemony of his predecessor Bush. The newspaper further accused the US administration of "still working to destabilise the entire region, from Palestine to Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, and all the way to Afghanistan." Syrian political analyst Emad Fawzi Shoebi also denounced the US statements, describing them as "gung-ho". "The US must realise that we live in a non-unipolar world, which means it cannot issue such fiery statements, unless the US [wants to] portray itself as a peacemaker while in reality it is a warmonger." Shoebi added: "It is time for the Americans to realise the true powers in the region, and learn the language of political realism before they meddle in the regional balance." Meanwhile, in media reports European diplomats revealed that the US is continuously pressuring Daniel Bellemare, prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), to issue his tentative report about the Hariri assassination in order to prevent Beirut from succumbing to pressure from Damascus to normalise relations with Syria and Iran. The diplomatic sources also revealed that there is an American campaign to activate UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which permits air strikes against arms caravans leaving Syria for Lebanon. While Syria has partially altered its policies and conduct on some regional issues to gain US approval and end hostilities with Washington, preventing fighters from crossing the border into Iraq and sharing some intelligence about terrorists is not enough for the US administration. Thus it is apparent that political normalisation with Washington will not happen soon. The US-Syrian dispute is one that includes Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Iran, and perhaps additional sensitive issues.
