The Syrian Regime Brings The Al Qaeda Franchise to Lebanon

The Syrian regime and its Lebanese and Palestinian allies are using the Al Qaeda brand name as a scare tactic. Their basic message to the Lebanese government is the more you put pressure on us, the more of an “Iraq” Lebanon will become.
Hezbollah sources have been warning about an Al Qaeda presence in Lebanon for most of last year. Then came the Al Qaeda-claimed missile attack on Nothern Israel from South Lebanon. Hezbollah, which is in total control of South Lebanon, said that it knew nothing about the operation.
Furthermore, the remaining attacks that Al Qaeda claimed in Lebanon were all directed at the Lebanese army, coinciding with an overhaul of its command when pro-Syrian generals were retired and reassigned to less important posts.
The latest blast came after MP Saad El Hariri’s Washington visit when he asked from the US to re-equip the Lebanese army.
The local franchise for Al Qaeda serves the Syrian regime's interests, however, it will backfire when US policymakers get a hold of the link between Syria, its local allies and Al Qaeda.