From Naharnet

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea snapped back Thursday at Syrian President Bashar Assad over the latter's criticism of Lebanon's so-called dissociation policy. “Lebanon's continuation of its dissociation policy is specifically in Assad's interest, because 'should Lebanon speak' it will definitely be against him,” Geagea said in a statement.

In an interview with Syria's al-Watan newspaper, Assad has noted that “Lebanon cannot dissociate itself from the blazes that are raging around it.” “It cannot endorse 'the policy of no policy' or what has been called the dissociation policy,” Assad said.

Although the Lebanese state has officially adopted the dissociation policy, Hizbullah has sent thousands of fighters into the neighboring country to help Assad fight an Islamist-led uprising. The party has argued that its controversial intervention was necessary to protect Lebanese border towns from extremist groups.

On the other hand it was also reported that an assassination plot could be planned against him, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat pointed the finger at the Syrian regime saying it is the “primary suspect” behind such a plot, As Safir daily reported Thursday.

Jumblat said he believes that the “biggest winner who will benefit from my assassination is the Syrian regime which has grown stronger after the field developments on the battlefront in Syria,” he told the daily.

“In compliance with the security advice, I am residing most of the time at Moukhtara. If it was not for a minor surgery that I had to take in one of my eyes, I would not have come to my residence in Clemenceau in such circumstances,” he went on to say.

The MP revealed that a while ago some “serious official security agencies” have warned him to take precautions which compelled him to limit his movement. He asserted that “Hizbullah has also advised me to take the side of caution.”

Jumblatt added that no matter how many groups are trying to assassinate him, the primary suspect from his point of view is the “Syrian regime,” adding “those who used to protect me in Syria no longer exist including Hikmat al-Shehabi, Ghazi Kanaan and others.”