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20 years ago, on May 15, 2000, I was attending a small, elite gathering of a major lobbying organization in Washington. Dennis Ross, who had then been the Special Middle East Coordinator for President Bill Clinton addressed the group. Those were the days when negotiations were in full swing between then Syrian President Haffez al-Assad, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak of about giving up the Golan Heights.
During that briefing, Ambassador Ross casually mentioned that “We have people in our embassy in Damascus, and they watch every day, as Boeing 747 planes leave from Tehran with men, arms and equipment for Hezbollah, refuel in Damascus and land in Beirut."
I raised my hand, and asked Mr. Ross how, when the Clinton administration was in the midst of serious discussions with Haffez Assad, they are allowing this to happen. His response: "Yes, I have brought this up to President Clinton, and he expressed his concern."
“Expressing concern” is diplomatic double-speak for barely doing anything.
Just 10 days after that fateful meeting, on May 25, 2000, Israel withdrew from Southern Lebanon.
Now is the time to reflect and examine how that withdrawal worked out.
Read the full article here.
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