US diplomat hints at power shifts in Syria as rebels gain ground
Syrian rebels quick advance weakens Assadʼs position and affects his allies support. US official points to Iranʼs changing role and Hezbollahʼs complex standing in the region
Speaking at a Doha meet-up Amos Hochstein the US envoy discussed how rebel progress in Syria is making things harder for Assadʼs friends. The envoy (who helped set up the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire bout a week ago) thinks Hezbollah isnt as strong as before
Recent events show Iran might be stepping back from Syria; theyʼre moving embassy families out - even though they dont agree with news reports about pulling out soldiers. The situation is creating a hard-to-manage set-up for getting weapons to their allies
You can be weakened and still strong at the same time when it comes to the Lebanese context
Two top Lebanese security people say Hezbollah sent some boss-level troops to Homs last night to help stop anti-Assad fighters. The Syrian armyʼs recent losses arent shocking - Hochstein points out its way different from 13 years back when Russia and Iran were giving lots of help
The whole thing is making a mess for Iran-backed groups: theyʼre having trouble moving stuff through Syria but still keep some control in Lebanon. Its like a big game of regional chess where everyoneʼs trying to figure out their next move
