USCFL - Action Alert September 5, 2000

September 5, 2000

U.S Committee for a Free Lebanon Action Alert http://www.freelebanon.org/

To: Friends of Lebanon around the World

Expose the Syrian Intelligence Services in Lebanon

It is the goal of the USCFL to keep our members aware of what is happening in Lebanon and to use our influence among the governments of the world to allow the people of Lebanon the right to govern itself freely.

U.S. Citizens are encouraged to contact their Senators and Representatives and encourage them to express their concern to the Administration too.

Our friends in Lebanon should not be alone in their fight against Syria. Let us show the whole world what we are capable of doing to thwart Syria's takeover of our beloved country.

Recommended Action for You to Take

* Contact your U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative and urge them to pressure Syria to get out of Lebanon;

* Join forces with your local Lebanese friends and organizations in lobbying for a Free Lebanon;

* Keep on organizing strikes in our Homeland;

* Talk to every Media Outlet you know about the injustices taking place in our homeland.

* Call the Congressional switchboard, 202-224-3121, to be connected to the U.S. Representative of your choice.

* Contact the chairmen of the Congressional committees that will consider whether or not to send U.S. aid to Syria and to condemn Syria's actions in Lebanon:

Appropriate contacts

        U.S.Senator Ted Stevens
        Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
        Tel 202-224-3004        /        fax 202-224-2354
        E-mail: senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov

        U.S. Senator Jesse Helms
        Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
        Tel 202-224-6342        /        fax 202-228-1339
        E-mail: Jesse_Helms@helms.senate.gov

        U.S. Senator Richard Shelby
        Chair, Senate Intelligence Committee
        Tel 202-224-5744        /        fax 202-224-3416

        U.S. Rep. C.W.Young
        Chair, House Appropriations Committee
        Tel 202- 225-5961       /        fax 202-225-9764

        U.S. Rep. Ben Gilman
        Chair, House International Relations Committee
        Tel 202-225-3776        /        fax 202-225-2541
        E-mail: ny20@legislators.com

        U.S. Rep. Peter Goss
        Chair, House Intelligence Committee
        Tel 202-225-2536        /        fax 202-225-6820
        E-mail: porter.goss@mail.house.gov

NINE Talking Points

1. The current ruling regime in Lebanon does not represent the wishes and aspirations of the Lebanese people but those of Syria. Do not expect anything from the Lebanese Parliament Members. It is a fact that they have all been appointed by the Syrian intelligence apparatus and cannot make even the tiniest decision. So don't count on them on anything unless Syria is forced to leave Lebanon.

2. Jamil Al Sayyid, Ghazi Kanaan, Assef Shawkat and the rest of the Lebanese and Syrian intelligence apparatus controlling Lebanon are nothing but a group of power-hungry thugs who also control Lebanese President and Premier like puppets. Hence, no need to address Lebanon's Executive branch regarding any human rights abuses and press infringements. Go directly to the source: Syria's intelligence forces in Lebanon.

3. The Syrian Government-Controlled Media is Anti-American. The Syrian media, which is completely controlled by the government, frequently publishes vicious anti-American incitement. For example, after a terrorist attacked U.S. Embassy personnel in Egypt, Syrian newspapers called the attackers "heroes." (Jerusalem Post, May 29, 1997). The recent ban of 7 well respected European and American newspapers in Lebanon by Jamil Al Sayyid is a confirmation that things have not changed with Bashar Al Assad in power but have gotten much worse.

4. Syrian-Controlled Terrorist Groups Have Murdered Hundreds of American Citizens. The Hezbollah terrorist group, which operates from Syrian-occupied Lebanon and receives its Iranian arms shipments through Syria's Damascus airport, carried out the October 1983 car-bomb attack on the U.S. Marines barracks near Beirut, killing 241 Americans.

5. Syria also permits numerous other terrorist groups that have killed Americans to maintain facilities in both Damascus and in Syrian-occupied Lebanon, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Japanese Red Army.

6. According to a report by the U.S. State Department, Syria voted against America's positions at the United Nations 83% of the time in 1998.

7. Syria is Helping America's Enemy, Saddam Hussein. According the Times of London, Syria has agreed to supply Saddam Hussein with "engines for Russian-made tanks and tracks for armored fighting vehicles ... spares for anti-aircraft radar facilities --hit by recent American and British bombing-- lorries, aircraft and helicopters, and ammunition."

8. Syria's Human Rights Violations Are Contrary to American Values. Human rights organizations have documented Syria's unrelenting suppression of free speech and assembly, torture of prisoners, and brutal persecution of political dissidents. Syria's actions are completely contrary to America's values of freedom and democracy.

As an example, and in the aftermath of Israel's precipitous withdrawal from south Lebanon in May, an estimated 2,300 residents of the security zone have been taken into custody by Hezbollah guerrillas and Lebanese security forces. After several days of incommunicado detention, interrogation, and in some cases torture, at various camps under the control of Syrian and Lebanese military intelligence, most of the detainees are now being herded through Lebanon's Permanent Military Court (PMC) in a marathon series of 90 second show trials that Amnesty International has called "travesties of justice," while others have simply "disappeared."

9. Syria is Developing Unconventional Weapons. Despite America's efforts to halt the international proliferation of unconventional weapons, Syria is racing ahead with its efforts to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, and in November 1999 conducted its first live chemical weapons test. (Jerusalem Post, November 28, 1999)

According to another report recently published in the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostey, Moscow has completed delivery of around $500 million worth of military hardware to Damascus and will deliver a squadron of Su-27 fighter jets in coming months. The report said that Syria has already received shipments of T-90 tanks, produced by Uralvagonzavod in Nizhniy Tagil, as well as Kornet-E and Metis-M anti-tank rocket systems, manufactured by the Tula Design Bureau. The report also said that the Gagarin Aviation Production Association in Komsomolsk-na-Amure will soon be completing a Syrian order for the delivery of 30 Su-27 fighters and the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system will probably be shipped in the near future to replace outdated S-200 and S-125s.

Thanks for your attention.

The USCFL Task Force
http://www.freelebanon.org/

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