Syrian-Saudi conflict. Today, a new chapter was added. A "responsible Saudi official" issued a detailed rebuttal to the remarks of Faruq Ash-Shar` from a few days ago. Clearly, there is a split in Syria. And I predict that Ash-Shar` will be sacked in an effort by Bashshar to improve relations with House of Saud. But do you notice that members of the House of Saud do not have the courage to offer criticisms using their own names and faces. When they criticize--as they did when Hizbullah captured Israeli occupation soldiers a year ago--it is always attributed to a nameless and faceless "responsible official." Ash-Shar`'s remarks were of course quite mild and not "obscenities" as they were termed by the official Saudi statement. But in the Second Saudi Era, no criticisms of any kind are permitted against House of Saud. Today, Nabih Birri and his cronies (not to mention the Hariri band) spoke out against any criticisms of Saudi Arabia--Hizbullah also avoids criticizing Saudi Arabia. But it got more complicated. Syrian foreign minister, Walid Mu`allim, who hates Faruq Ash-Shar` who treated him very shabbily when he served under him in the foreign ministry, but then again the arrogant Ash-Shar` mistreats everybody who works for him, summoned Al-Arabiya TV crew and spoke lovingly of Saudi Arabia and denied any rift with the kingdom of horror. This shows that the Syrian government is of two minds on this matter. Of course, I could be wrong, and the Ash-Shar` line could prevail, and the Syrian government may decide to go all out against the Saudi government but I doubt that. I can see series of apologies from the Syrian government. It is also noteworthy that the remarks of Ash-Shar` coincided with anti-Saudi remarks voided by closest allies and clients of Syria in Lebanon: why were those remarks not made before? Of course, the House of Saud chorus in Lebanon is far bigger: and they all spoke in support of Saudi Arabia today. There are signs--mere signs so far--that Qatari media may be going softer on Saudi Arabia. That worries me. If that occurs, House of Saud will enjoy total absence of criticisms in the Arab press.