Syrian MP Muhammad Habash to the US: The Syrian Army Will Never Defend Your Occupation in Iraq

Following are excerpts from an interview with Syrian MP Muhammad Habash, aired on Syrian TV on November 24, 2005.

Muhammad Habash: We have come here to say to America: Your problem is not with the Arab regimes. Your problem is with the peoples. You can send your fleets, your tanks and your frigates, but what will you do with these peoples who defy humiliation and degradation, and refuse to break, kneel, or bow before anyone but Allah?

We have come here to say to America: You have committed all these massacres in Iraq, but the flag of Israel will never be raised in Iraq because our people there adhere to their convictions, and reject humiliation. The regimes reflect (the voices) heard on these streets, but it is the men on the street who reject humiliation. We have come here to say to America: The Syrian army will never defend your occupation in Iraq. The Syrian army will never disarm the resistance in Lebanon. The army that put out the civil war in Lebanon will never take part in sparking it again. We have come here to say to America: Syria will never give up on the 427,000 Palestinian refugees who live here, within our hearts. Syria will never put a muzzle on their mouths. Syria will never break their pens. Syria is the land of freedom and of steadfastness. Syria is the land of resistance. Behold, its people, parliament, clerics, merchants, and economists all say: We are with Syria for all eternity.

Crowd: Our soul and our blood, we will give to you, oh Bashar.