The Syria News Wire's FIRST BIRTHDAY!
After 1 year,
388 posts,
38,000 readers,
zero deleted comments,
and 1 new look...
THANK YOU for choosing the Syria News Wire, the web's most comprehenisve source of Syrian News. Fresh, original, independent. And it's still ad-free.
The Syria News Wire was one of first sites to break news of the bombings in Amman and stick with it as the night progressed.
Highest number of readers in one day: 850 (Tuesday 31st January 2006).
Most controversial posts:
Napolaoun Returns
Lebanese General*/Prime Minister*/President* (*depending on his mood) Michael Aoun has returned to Beirut. I've come to save you, it's ok now - let's continue where we left off 15 years ago: "Today is a day for joy, a day for jubilation. I'm back."
Now, where exactly did we leave off 15 years ago. Ah yes, he extended the Civil War by a year, prolonging the suffering of Lebanon. Aoun was installed as interim Prime Minister in 1988 to help work towards elections. But as a supporter of democracy, he ignored the elections, insisted that he should stay on as PM and exploited his position to help his military campaign. And this is the man who might run for office this month.
No coup in Damascus
The 'Lebanese Foundation for Peace' has been reporting a military coup d'etat in Syria. They claim Bashar Al-Assad has fled to Aleppo and that Interior Minister Ghazi Kannan has overthrown him. The North and West is allied to Bashar but the capital is under the rebel's control. It's all in reaction to the Lebanese withdrawal.
There is no evidence in Damascus to support any of these claims: on the streets, at the political offices, at military barracks, from journalists or diplomats.
This is the first 'non-news' story I've done, and I hestitate to write this. But it's caused such a flurry on the net that it needs to be put down.
A bit of background to the LFP. They are members of the Phalange and South Lebanon Army (Israeli proxies) who fled when Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000. They live in exile in Jerusalem, and are calling on Ariel Sharon to reverse Barak's decision to withdraw. They call themselves the 'Lebanese Government in exile'.
France washes its hands of Khaddam
France is desperately trying to get rid of former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam, it emerged tonight.
A delegation of French diplomats arrived in Saudi, to arrange for him to be transferred out. Saudi said no.
Demonstrators set fire to Danish and Norweigan embassies in Damascus
The incident caused almost unanimous anger on the Syrian blogosphere, and set the comments section alight.
Thousands of protesters have broken through lines of police officers to break into the embassies of Denmark and Norway in Mezzeh.
They replaced the flags with signs reading 'La Ilaha ila Allahu Muhammadu Rasul Allah'. Danish and Norweigan citizens have been advised to leave the country urgently. No-one was hurt, and it seems that none of the protests were directed at people - they were highly symbolic.
The protesters then headed towards the French embassy nine kilometres away in Jisr Al-Abyad but police sucessfully blocked all roads leading into the area.
Happy birthday ,i enjoy your site,keep the good work for Syria and Lebanon and the Arab wourld.
Posted by norman | 4:34 am
Alf Mabrouk
Posted by John Wreford | 10:30 am
Congratulations Sasa for the birthday and the new look.
Posted by annie | 6:49 pm
Thank you guys so much. And thank you for reading!
Posted by sasa | 1:20 am