Syria Deflects Iran Strongarm Tactics: Is It For Real?

In a good news/bad news scenario, current President Syrian Bashar Assad has switched loyalty from Hizballah Hassan Nassrallah to PM Saad Hariri. With mounting evidence of Hezbollah's involvement with the assassination of Hariri's father, Rafiq, Syria has wisely stepped out of the fire and sidelined the terrorist group, much to Iran's chagrin. Nassrallah has responded earlier with ham fisted attempts to dismantle the inquiry knowing where it would lead, leading to a much publicized feud between himself and Hariri. With Hezbollah out in the cold now they have vowed that such an action will lead to civil war or even a new conflict with Israel. Thus the current problems arising such as the attack on Israeli troops on the Lebanon border by either Lebanese troops or, more likely, Hezbollah dressed as Lebanese soldiers. Two officers were killed in that limited conflict. Israel is watching the situation carefully. The implications for this switch is staggering. Assad met recently with the Saudi King whose fear over Iranian nuclear weapons almost certainly came up. Sides are being drawn for any future conflict and I don't know about you but I don't want to go up against the US, Russia, China, Europe, and most of the Middle East in a war either. One thing that can be said about the Syrian leader is he is not a fool. Having breathed a sigh of relief once the heat was off his regime for the assassination of Hariri, he may have wisely seen the forest for the trees and is now beginning to cut ties with the increasingly isolated Iran. This is a horrible scenerio for both Lebanon and Iran as their land link is now gone. Syria may still publicly denounce Hizbullah and even expel them if war breaks out. The conflict on the Lebanese border however is very tense right now with the deaths of two soldiers by snipers acros the border. Isreal's response will probably be strong. But how this will play out without Syria makes it much more interesting and much less deadly.