How the Guardian authenticated the emails of Asad

"The Guardian also consulted Abdul Halim Khaddam".  Is this not laughable?  They contacted a a guy who split with the regime more than six years ago to provide authentication?  Why not contact Netanyahu and ask him if the emails are genuine?  And did you notice in the explanation of verification they paper was basically able to reach people who contacted Bashshar's father-in-law but not people who communicated with Asad himself?   Wait. Did the Guardian hire the editor from the New York Times who authenticated Judith Miller's dispatches about Iraqi WMDs?