CLIFF MAY: Stability in Syria?

The Jerusalem Post reports:

The last-minute alterations made to the Detlev Mehlis report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri may have been made under pressure by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Israel Radio reported Friday afternoon. 

A diplomatic source reported that Annan had an interest in removing the name of Syrian President Bashar Assad's brother and brother-in-law, along with other important Syrian officials, from the list of suspects in the Hariri killing. 

Assad's brother and brother-in-law had previously been implicated in having involvement in the Hariri assassination.

Annan, according to speculations, was concerned that the harsh report could cause political instability in Syria, perhaps even leading to an overthrow of the Assad regime, and thus preferred a watered-down version of the report.

Glen Reynolds notes:  “Oh, yeah, we wouldn't want that. Are there any tyrants Annan won't cover for?”

I’d add this: The U.N. today includes democratic nations and dictatorial despotic regimes. Institutionally, the UN hasn’t much preference between the two. If anything, it favors the latter.