Epstein Secrets

THE members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he's a reformer." Thus did Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton respond to a question on Sunday about Bashar al-Assad, the latest Arab dictator to respond with fusillades to calls by his people for democratic ch

eve he's a reformer." Thus did Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton respond to a question on Sunday a

ening his grip on power; it may be that the secret police, long given too much leeway, have been taking matters into their own hands. What's more, anti-Assad elements should be careful what they wish for. Syria is ethnically and religiously diverse and, with the precipitous removal of central authority, i

e Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Even the United States sees Assad in a different light to other leaders in the Arab world, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying this week, "There is a different leader in Syria now, many of the members SDNY_GM_00078423 JPM-SDNY-00001550 EFTA_00188890 Confidential T

e Syrian president was considered by members of Congress from both parties to be a "reformer." How many senators and representatives will own up to Hillary's characterization? It is hokum. The hokum started long ago. One can locate it in time: June 14, 2000, in a New York Times article by Susan Sachs h

ening his grip on power; it may be that the secret police, long given too much leeway, have been taking matters into their own hands. What's more, anti-Assad elements should be careful what they wish for. Syria is ethnically and religiously diverse and, with the SONY_GM_00078426 JPM-SDNY-00001553 EFTA_

wife's hair and clothes, profession and cookie recipe. It was only 20 years ago that, during Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, his wife Hillary's career — that is, the fact that she had one of her own — sparked wild and vituperative debate. There was even her absurd "bake-off" against First

n affliction from infecting his county — Lebanon is increasingly getting sucked into the intra-Syrian conflict. In addition to the assassination of anti-Assad Lebanese politicians and journalists and the abductions of a score of Lebanon-based Assad opponents, Syrian security forces have regularly staged i

succumbed to calls from commentators and Syrian opposition leaders, and demanded Mr Assad's removal. The decision was a mistake. Earlier in the week, Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, noted that, "if the US called for Mr Assad's head, then what?". And indeed, then what? I lived in Syria for two years and still

r center of unrest; it was shelled by the Syrian Navy in mid-August. Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city has also seen significant demonstrations. If anti-Assad insurgents take up arms, the chemical sites, as symbols of regime's authority, could become strategic targets. And, if mass defections occur from the