BBC: Syrian vice-president steps down

[allemand]

Syrian Vice-President Abdul Halim Khaddam has resigned from the government and the ruling Baath party.

Mr Khaddam is said to have made his announcement during a meeting of the Baath party on the first day of a conference focusing on reform.

No reason has been given for his resignation and it is not known if the party has accepted it.

Mr Khaddam, a veteran hardliner, is seen as an architect of Syrian influence in neighbouring Lebanon.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4615889.stm

He belongs to the "old guard". Maybe this is some indication that they were indeed behind the Hariri killing, the old guard, not Assad ("not his style", as an Israeli analyst said).

US senator certain Syria was behind Hariri's death
06 Jun 2005 20:29:00 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Evelyn Leopold

UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. senator said on Monday he had no doubt Syria was behind the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik al-Hariri, according to intelligence he had seen.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, made the comments to reporters after meeting U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on a variety of issues and offering him support.
"I have seen enough of the evidence on Hariri to know that they (Syrians) were behind it," Leahy said without elaborating. "I don't think there is a single person in Lebanon and probably no one in Syria who doesn't believe they were behind it."
"There is no question -- no question in my mind -- that they were behind the assassination," the senator said.

More:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N06367364.htm

[sasquatch]

1. I think the Bush Crime Family killed that "Anti-Syrian" Lebonese guy

[pocket]

2. or Israel

six of one, half a dozen of the other.

[NJ Democrats]

3. Maybe

Syria will get more moderate to liberal new liners in the government.

[happyslug]

4. He was born in 1932, so he is at least 72 years old

Could it just be that Syria wants a younger man in the post? At age 72 it will be a lot harder for him to run from cave to cave whenever the Americans invade, thus a younger man might be preferred.

[snot]

5. If you appreciate the BBC as we've known it, PLS go to this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=376080&mesg_id=376080

[daleo]

6. "I've seen enough evidence"

"And I don't have to show the rest of you any of it."

Sounds familiar.