Soccer Dad

Presence vs. occupation

Washington Post April 26, 2005 After 29 Years, Syrians Go Quietly:

Crouching over a small stone pedestal amid a grove of pines, Maj. Hadi Husseini on Monday quietly marked the imminent end of Syria's nearly three-decade military presence in Lebanon. He carefully put the finishing touches on a monument he designed, simple and solemn, to memorialize the thousands of Syrian soldiers who have died in his country over the years.

Washington Post June 17, 2000

Annan's Middle East envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen of Norway, said in New York that elements of the 4,500-strong U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, would "immediately" move into territory previously occupied by Israel and begin border patrols.

New York Times April 27, 2005"Last Syria Force Leaves Lebanon, but Political Puzzles Remain":

The last of Syria's troops left Lebanon on Tuesday after a bittersweet ceremony near the border, ending a military presence that for 29 years helped Syria control Lebanon and confront Israel through proxy militias.

New York Times May 24, 200 "Barak Declares End to 'Tragedy' as Last Troops Leave Lebanon":

Prime Minister Ehud Barak today declared an end to the ''tragedy'' of Israel's two-decade occupation of southern Lebanon, as the last remaining Israeli troops and pro-Israeli militias pulled out of the border strip once known as Israel's security zone.

It's true that in the Washington Post and NY Times there were occasional references to the end of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon in recent headlines, but none that I saw in any news story. That's consistent with what I've noticed over the years. Syrians long brutal occupation of Lebanon has usually been described with euphemisms such as "military presence" and "political domination" but not with the loaded term "occupation" that has described Israel's defensive presence in southern Lebanon. Apparently only Israel is capable "occupying" another country.

Posted by SoccerDad at April 27, 2005 6:31 AM