US holds Lebanon hostage to gain levarage with Syria

Syria is becoming a serious stumbling block in international diplomatic efforts to end the fighting in Lebanon, US officials say.

In the UN Security Council July 20, Secretary-General Kofi Annan outlined his plan for a wide-ranging settlement and reported on the efforts of the three-person mission, led by Vijay Nambiar, that he sent to the region July 13 as the fighting intensified. However, Syria's refusal to receive one of the secretary-general's envoys -- experienced diplomat Terje Roed-Larsen -- cast a shadow over the meeting.

Roed-Larsen is the secretary-general's special representative on Resolution 1559, passed by the council in September 2004 calling for "the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias."

Instead of blaming Israel for Lebanon's civilian death and destruction and request immediate end to Israel's attacks, US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said Syria's rejection of the UN mission "in effect applies to all of our collective efforts to get an international solution" to the crisis in Lebanon.

"We know the root cause of the present conflict is Hizballah's terrorists acts supported by Iran and Syria, but now, I think, we see more clearly the role Syria has and has been playing in frustrating efforts to bring this to a resolution," Bolton said.

During a closed-door meeting with the 15-nation Security Council, Annan emphasized that he would assert his right to select whomever he felt was qualified for such missions.

The US is the country that blocked a UN Security Council resolution that would have forced Israel to stop attacks on Palestinians in Gaza and Lebanon. The US is the main supporter of Israel, and the Israeli military supplying with the advanced weapons it uses. The number of Lebanese civilians is in the hundreds, and great destruction to the civilian infrastructure has been done by the Israeli aggression.