Iran and Syria: prepare for regime change

Iran and Syria: prepare for regime change

Can the fact that Porter Goss, director of the CIA, approached Turkish intelligence officials with news that Iran is now armed with nuclear weapons be taken at face value? I would suggest probably not. In all likelihood, and according to Israeli intelligence, Iran does not yet possess a nuclear bomb - just as Iraq was not in possession of WMDs.

Abdul-Halim Khaddam, the former vice-president of Syria, revealed in an interview with Paris-based al-Arabiya that Syria was almost certainly behind the assination of Lebanese prime minister Hariri. An aquaintance of mine from Syria reported to me that there are rumours circulating within the Arabic media that he was paid $30 million for this interview. This is probably true. When the US went into Afghanistan they sent in CIA agents with $70 million to buy off warlords who then acted as part of America's military-for-hire. Purchasing testimony and/or military assistance is an activity that oftens precedes US operations.

Consider that Khaddam was one of the key architects of the current corrupt Syrian regime and one has to wonder if his attack on the Syrian government has more to do with heartfelt concern for his homeland or the fact that he has seen the writing on the wall and acted in his own best interests.

In all likelihood, we are seeing the political groundwork of US military intervention in both Iran and Syria with the objective being to deal a lethal blow to Islamic jihadists before the end of Bush's second term. This intervention could take place as early March 2006.

This time, Canada must play a strong diplomatic support role. The United States is exerting its authority as the world's only superpower and if Canada does not want to become a 2nd-tier country in terms of international influence it absolutely must choose to be on the side of the inevitable victors. Vacillation will cost us dearly.