For Media Release

December 8, 2006

Washington Bureau

President George W.  Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

RE: Recommendations of the Iraq Study Group “ Catastrophic for Lebanon”

Dear Mr.  President:

Adopting the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group (“ISG”) regarding the engagement of Iran and Syria will be suicidal to America’s interest in the Middle East and will be tantamount to accepting defeat in the War on Terror. America’s allies in the region will be dealt with harshly and the Cedars Revolution will be left to fend for itself, virtually defenseless against the terrorist Hezbollah militia and their fascist sponsors, Iran and Syria. Lebanon will be lost to the “axis of evil” and the enemies of America and the free world will be emboldened and will step up their offensive.

Thee Cedars Revolution is under siege-at present the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora is surrounded by the dark forces of Hezbollah and their allies of the rejectionist Palestinian groups, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and agents of the Syrian intelligence. The actions of our government over the next few days and weeks will determine the fate of those 1.5 million Lebanese (and countless others in Lebanon and the Middle East) who bravely took to the streets on March 14, 2005 to show their love of liberty and freedom and their rejection of intolerance, hatred and occupation. Mr.  President, what will our answer be to their pleas? Will we deliver them to their oppressors or continue to support them in their quest for freedom and democracy?

To the worldwide Lebanese community, it was like a breath of fresh air when you decried the former US policy of making deals with dictators and totalitarian regimes in the Middle East to achieve stability and peace. Coddling these tyrants has achieved neither goal as Mr. Baker should be well aware. Indeed, the last vestiges of free Lebanon were brutally overrun in 1990 in exchange for Syrian cooperation in the First Gulf War while Mr. Baker was acting Secretary of State. Fourteen trips to Damascus by Mr. Baker in his capacity as Secretary of State accomplished nothing. Does he think that now that the Syrian regime smells blood it will relent and stop brutally assassinating Lebanese leaders or stop sending Jihadis into Iraq to avoid domestic problems? Will the Iranians magically stop supporting their proxies Hezbollah and the Mahdi Army before or after it develops nuclear weapons?

What is needed is even stronger support for our allies in the region and a policy of regime change in both Iran and Syria. We must redouble our efforts to breathe new life into the dormant democracy in Lebanon, support the leaders of the Cedars Revolution, the NGO’s that promote democracy and pluralism and civil society in general, which had been under the total control and occupation of the Syrian military and intelligence for nearly three decades. This occupation was sanctioned by the Taef Accord, sponsored by Saudi Arabia and Morocco, and adopted by the United States and France under the stewardship of none other than James Baker. An event in history that set Lebanon back fifty years. . Excuse the chill running down the back of every Lebanese throughout the world at the very thought of a possible solution for Iraq, Lebanon and the rest of the Middle East with the imprimatur of James Baker. James Baker has once before sold out Lebanon to the totalitarian Syrian regime, and must never be given a second chance . The people of Lebanon are fully aware of the consequences.

Can the United States turn its back on Lebanon again? If so, it would create a catastrophe of major proportions. It would embolden and encourage Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and all of their agents to regain total control of Lebanon, and continue on their reigns of terror worldwide. It would almost certainly spell the beginning of the end of US Middle East diplomacy. Appeasement only served to strengthen Hitler in World War II; it will do the same for Iran and Syria.

Very Truly Yours,

National Council of WCCR/USA

World Council of the Cedars Revolution