Syrian Arab News Agency

[Master of Oblivion]

[Master of Oblivion]

State of the War in Lebanon

The emergence of Al-Tawhid in Lebanon is another tragic side effect of the terrorism and imperialism that have torn the country apart. Al-Tawhid is a radical sunni extremist group, not unlike the terrorists that plagued Syria for years until their recent glorious defeat. The group has proven genocidal in their actions, slaughtering moderate Muslims of all shades. The Alawite community of Tripoli is especially vulnerable to their hostile actions. How this new player impacts the larger conflict remains to be seen.

The Palestinian factions remain fractured between those who would compromise with the Zionist entity and those who would seek to liberate Palestine. The cowardly leadership of Fatah has fled Lebanon to the safety of Tunisia. However many Palestinian groups have remained to defend their temporary home against the Israeli invaders. They are joined by their steadfast allies in the Lebanese National Resistance Front.

The Maronite community remains divided between those who support a free Lebanon and those who are little more than mercenaries for the Jewish banking interests of the world. Those Lebanese forces who remain loyal to the government of Beirut have been abandoned by most of the world and depend upon Syrian support for stability. However many Lebanese forces have abandoned the government to work for the Zionist state. They seek the genocide of any non Maronite, and will slaughter Christians and Muslims alike.

Finally the Shia community of Lebanon is beginning to awaken. Long repressed and destitute they are finding a voice in Amal and Hezbollah. Both of these groups are heroic in their resistance of the invaders. Our hearts go out to them.

[Master of Oblivion]

Self-Reliance

It is no secret that our economy is beginning to show signs up weakness. This contagion has impacted many nations, and Syria is no exception. American capitalists and the Jewish banking interests have devised many devious ways to ensure that money has been taken out of the pocket of poor Arabs and placed into the coffers of Wall Street crooks. Our new Five Year Plan will be one tool in our arsenal of defense. Our main weapon will be our Arab people guided by the noble Baathist ideology.

As many of our manufacturers have noticed, it is difficult to import machine parts, raw materials, or consumer goods. As part of our Self-Reliance campaign the government will provide grants and loan-interest loans for those extraordinary individuals who find ways to fill these gaps. If their plans prove successful, not only will they get to keep the profits of their work but they will also receive additional awards and compensations from our government. Those that help the people should be lauded.

Secondly, the government will be lowering our exchange rate. After studying the success of East Asian economies, we believe that exports will lead to our growth. Only through exports can we acquire more foreign currencies. We believe that these efforts will not harm the average citizen. Only those that seek to import luxuries from abroad will be harmed, as they should. Anyone who individually profits during a time of collective hardship is a class traitor. We have studied the Asian economies and see that this is an avenue for growth.

Finally, we will be implementing a new policy against hoarders, smugglers, and corruption. We call upon our citizens to assist the police in apprehending any individual who is hoarding foreign currency. These individuals are in the pockets of Zionists who want to destabilize our economy. Anyone who reports such an individual will receive their due compensation for being a good citizen. Likewise smugglers or those who sell their goods outside of official markets and prices are thief. We will deal with them as such. We call upon all citizens to remain vigilant. Report corruption to the local police and party officials. If the local police and party officials are corrupt, report them to the national party. The local crook is the Jewish domestic ally and they must be snuffed out.