Pushback against Syria

Ynet:

TIME magazine reported Tuesday that the Bush Administration has been quietly nurturing individuals and parties opposed to the Syrian government in an effort to undermine the regime of President Bashar Assad .


According to TIME, parts of the scheme are outlined in a classified, two-page document which says that the US already is "supporting regular meetings of internal and Diaspora Syrian activists" in Europe.

The document, TIME said, bluntly expresses the hope that "these meetings will facilitate a more coherent strategy and plan of actions for all anti-Assad activists."



According to the report, the document says that Syria's legislative elections, scheduled for March 2007, "provide a potentially galvanizing issue for... critics of the Assad regime."


The document proposes a secret "election monitoring" scheme, in which "internet accessible materials will be available for printing and dissemination by activists inside the country (Syria) and neighboring countries."



TIME said the proposal also calls for surreptitiously giving money to at least one Syrian politician who, according to the document, intends to run in the election.



The effort would also include "voter education campaigns" and public opinion polling, with the first poll "tentatively scheduled in early 2007," the report said.



TIME quoted American officials as saying that the US government has had extensive contacts with a range of anti-Assad groups in Washington, Europe and inside Syria.

...

There is more. This probably explains why the US and Israel are not eager to talk to the Syrians and why the Syrians are eager to talk to both. The Syrians major demand at this point is that the US affirm that it is not pushing for regime change. However, the Syrian conduct in Iraq and Lebanon has not earned them any style points in the Bush administration. The Syrians at this point are fortunate that more overt means have not be taken against them. Toppling the Assad regime would be a major blow to Iran and its objectives in Lebanon and Iraq.