If money talks and bullshit walks; where does that leave Syria's Assad?

Last week it was the Iranians paying US$50 million to Hamas so the kidnapped Israeli soldier would not be freed, and this week I learn that Syria dictator, Bashar Assad, funneling money to pay local Golan residents (Druze) salaries reports Ynet News:

Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has recently been directing his citizens to move to the Golan Heights, has now started paying scores of local Golan residents official state salaries. Israeli officials interpret Assad's latest moves as attempting to underscore Syria's "ownership" of the Heights and pressure the Jewish state into giving up the strategic territory. The officials said there are some indications Assad may stage a provocation aimed at restarting negotiations with Israel over relinquishing the Heights.

The Golan Heights is mountainous territory captured by the Jewish state after Syria used the terrain to attack Israel in 1967 and again in 1973. The Heights looks down on major Israeli and Syrian population centers. It borders Israel, Syria and Lebanon and is claimed by Damascus. Military officials say returning the Golan Heights to Syria would grant Damascus the ability to mount an effective ground invasion of the Jewish state.

WND reported last month that Assad issued a decree urging his citizens to move to the Golan Heights, claiming the International Committee of the Red Cross would help flood the Golan with Syrians. Assad's decree urged Syrian officials, humanitarian workers, public service providers and their families to move to the Golan with the help of the Red Cross, which has authority to operate in the area purportedly to facilitate civilian crossings into and out of Syria in humanitarian cases. Assad's signed statement said Syrians who wish to move to the Golan will be granted approval by "all the relevant authorities." The decree affirmed the "right of the Syrian people's resistance" aimed at ensuring the return of the Golan Heights.

Israel officially annexed the Golan in 1981 and controls the territory. It must approve all cases of Syrian residents moving to the Golan. Israel is unlikely to allow any new Syrian residents into the territory.

"(Assad's) decree is seen more as rhetoric aimed at generating Syrian national feelings toward the Golan and strengthening Syrian ties to the area," said an official in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office. Israeli officials said the Jewish state has information Assad earlier this month started paying some Golan Heights public workers official state salaries. Currently, most Golan public workers, including teachers and local officers, draw salaries from Israel, although a few public officials have been collecting salaries from Syria since the 1970's. According to the Israeli officials, Assad is now paying Golan teachers and has drawn plans to incorporate other Golan workers into the Syrian budget.

This is the first time I have heard of foreign agents attempting to bribe teachers to create goodwill which has nothing to do with math or reading scores. I don’t envy Assad’s agents. If this group is representative of the Arab residents in the Golan Heights its going to be a tough uphill slog.... I suppose the thought of embracing a lower standard of living, healthcare, education, and a general lack of freedom just doesn’t do it for them.