Syria Follow

The Turkish anti-war movement has taken a lead in protesting against the threats by Bush against Syria. I was one of a delegation of 60 trade unionists, doctors, writers, journalists and peace activists that visited Damascus last week to give solidarity and support to its people.

The demonstrations calling for the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon converge on Martyrs Square in downtown Beirut. The square is better known as Solidere, after the multi-billion dollar property company partially owned by former prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

The assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri in Beirut on 14 February has provided the opportunity for US officials to turn the spotlight on Syria. The US was swift to accuse it of destablising Lebanon and sponsoring terrorism.

George Bush’s recent state of the union speech was frightening. In it he named Syria and Iran as countries where the US wants to see regime change — just as he did in his axis of evil speech. If they do attack Syria or Iran, this will have serious consequences throughout the region. People should not think that this is an idle threat.

Amnesty International has reported its grave concern that families returning to Syria are being imprisoned, and that children are being tortured in custody.

The destruction of Fallujah raised many questions for Iraqis—questions voiced by three friends aged 24 to 30. The three men are traders who were trapped in Syria as the US laid siege to Fallujah. The government of Iyad Allawi is refusing to allow men of fighting age to re-enter the country. The three have joined the growing band of Iraqi refugees in Syria.

ISRAEL'S ASSAULT on Syria last weekend has ratcheted up the tensions in the Middle East.

WHY ARE some of the leading figures who gather around President Bush talking about attacking Syria? After all, Syria voted on the UN Security Council last year to support the anti-Iraq Resolution 1441. It also sent 17,000 troops and 300 tanks to support the US in the war against Iraq in 1991.

Fear and anger has swept the globe after the revelations of George Bush's latest warmongering plans. Leaks from the US military's Nuclear Posture Review show plans to use nuclear weapons against China, Russia, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Syria and Libya. It seriously talks about more Hiroshimas, more Nagasakis, more wars which could destroy all life on the planet. And for Bush's gang it is now not a matter of if but when and how the war with Iraq will begin.

War against world's poor We are again seeing the big powers trying to sort out the world's problems through military force. More and more countries are on George Bush's list of targets – Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, North Korea and others.

THE ATTACK on Afghanistan has provoked a wave of anger against the US and Britain across the Middle East. As the first bombs fell, protests erupted in Palestine, Syria, Egypt and many other countries.