I had a lunch time discussion with two of my Syrian colleaques (one now is a Brit the Ozzie) both grew up in Syria but when to school in the west and never went back.

Both felt that Syria felt vulnerable and threaten - which is why it's back peddling on occupying Lebanon. Its old excuse of confronting Israel and preventing CW in Lebanon is wearing thin.

Syrians are more into occuping Lebanon for the money to be made and in protecting the Iranian backed Hezbollah (Syria gets nearly free oil in exchange, a lot of which is resold at full price for the benefit of the special friends of the Assad family)

The Syrians are giving up the Iraqi Ba'ath members after pointed threats from the US which had detailed intel on terrorists operating out of Syria. It is rumored that one US military attache suggested that the US would 'remove the two provinces nearest to Iraq from Syrian control'....

Alawite control of Syria is weakening in general

The Syrian elite is moving families and money out of Syria at a fast rate. Most of the ruling elite now have at least one son/cousin in a foreign country - allowing an escape route.

Interesting.