There are at least three reasons why Mehlis should not be regarded as a "neutral observer" in the Hariri investigation. 1) no appointment at the UN takes place without the knowledge and direct intervention of the US especially when the issue is of importance to the agenda of the administration; 2) John Bolton publicly intervened with Annan to insist on Mehlis, and said that a clone of Mehlis would be most appropriate to succeed him; 3) Mehlis gave only one exclusive interview during his stay in Lebanon. He selected the most rabid Hariri propagandist, Farish Kashshan, for an interview with Hariri rag, Al-Mustaqbal. And this was most inappropriate, from a legal point of view, because Kashshan is now at least a witness in the case of Hassam Hassam. Now you may want to know whether Kashshan is really an objective and fair reporter. Well, by Hariri standards, he really is. Here is a sample (describing Mehlis in his office during the interview): "His medium height was akin to a giant stature in the face of the "clique" of dwarfs." Enjoy the Lebanonese press. (Oh, I just saw the Mehlis also gave an interview to Al-Hayat. But who did he talk to? Walid Shuqayr. Another Hariri pen in the Lebanese press).