Lebanon Welcomes 'Security Talks' with Assad's Intel Chief
When a mainstream outlet reports that Ali Mamlouk, a figure sanctioned by the US and EU for his role in the Assad regime's brutal repression and alleged war crimes, is in Beirut discussing 'security' and 'fugitives,' (per New Arab and other reports) you'd expect a pause. The same Assad regime that weaponized starvation and chlorine gas on its own population, and whose intelligence apparatus
disappeared tens of thousands of dissenters, is now Lebanon's partner in 'combating terrorism?' It appears some in Beirut have forgotten the last decade of Syrian history, or perhaps, they're simply following orders. One might wonder if these 'fugitives' are actually political dissidents or refugees seeking safety from the very brutality Mamlouk represents. The optics of Lebanese officials shaking
hands with a man directly linked to such atrocities—a man Human Rights Watch has documented extensively for his role in abuses—would be shocking if we hadn't seen this pattern before: powerful regimes dictate terms, and the 'stability' narrative conveniently buries inconvenient truths. It’s not 'security coordination'; it's normalizing a regime responsible for unspeakable horrors, dressed up in
diplomatic niceties.