War (of Words) with Syria
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Thursday, May 08, 2003
World Opinion Roundup
High-Tech Hezbollah Has Its Defenders
Washington Post -- May 8
By Jefferson Morley
They have their own militia, political party, and TV station.
They have their own Web sites, hospitals and computer games.
They are Hezbollah, the "Party of God" that represents millions of Shiites in Lebanon -- and worries Bush administration officials in Washington.
Sources: Palestinian factions close Damascus offices
Al Bawaba -- May 8
Informed Palestinian sources have confirmed to Al Bawaba that four Palestinian factions have decided to close their Damascus offices in response to escalating tensions between Syria and the United States.
A Palestinian official in Damascus said that the four factions, namely Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, have ‘decided willingly’ to freeze activities in the country and hence close their offices in the Syrian capital.
The anonymous source said, “The factions received no orders from the Syrian authorities concerning the office closure. They took the decision on their own so that they wouldn’t cause Damascus any further embarrassment, particularly in view of the pressure imposed on Syria by the US which claims these organizations are ‘terrorist’ organizations.”
Nasrallah: Syria, Lebanon not pressuring Hezbollah to disarm
Middle East Online -- May 8
BEIRUT - Neither Syria nor Lebanon is exerting any pressure on the Lebanese Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah to disarm in response to US demands, its leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said in remarks published Thursday.
"There is no official Lebanese or Syrian pressure seeking to make us accept measures related to US demands," Nasrallah told the pro-Syrian daily As-Safir.
Syria Hands Over Suspect in Lebanon Bomb Spree
Reuters -- May 8
BEIRUT - Syria has handed over to neighboring Lebanon a man suspected of belonging to a gang blamed for a string of bomb attacks against Western fast food outlets, a senior judicial official said on Thursday.
Syria helped U.S. catch 'Mrs. Anthrax'
UPI -- May 8
By Richard Sale
Syrian intelligence, in a good-faith effort to boost cooperation with the United States in the war on terror, provided intelligence that resulted in U.S. forces taking custody of one of Iraq's top biological weapons scientists, administration officials said.
[Transcript of Wolfowitz interview.]
Wolfowitz Criticizes Turkey for Not Backing U.S. on Iraq
US Dept. of State -- May 7
CNN Turk: But if you make a prognosis of what went wrong earlier,
since you mentioned for example the military -- the traditional
institution which had strong connections to the United States -- did
not play a leadership role, so for the future to repair the
relationship and bring it back to its original level that means that
you have to need a leadership role to be played by those who haven't
played it. What kind of a role the military might have because after
all the military is not working in Turkey's parliament political
parties (inaudible)?
CNN Turk: And they have been criticized by getting involved in
politics.
Wolfowitz: I'm not suggesting you get involved in politics at all. I
mean, I think, all I'm saying is that when you had a issue of Turkey's
national interest and national strategy I think it's perfectly
appropriate, especially in your system, for the military to say it was
in Turkey's interest to support the United States in that effort.
CNN Turk: Didn't they say that?
Wolfowitz: I don't know. My impression is they didn't say it with the
kind of strength that would have made a difference. But look - let's
not dwell too much on the past.
Update:
The State Department link in the headline is broken. Check the comments page for the full transcript plus official links.
Dr. Paul's Words of Wisdom
NTV-MSNBC report on Turkish reaction
[Commentary from Turkey.]
The U.S. Has Already Made Up Its Mind On Turkey
Radikal via Turkish Press -- May 7
Columnist Ismet Berkan writes on the shifting sands of Turkish-US relations. A summary of his column is as follows:
[snip]
Reading between the lines, here is Wolfowitz’s plain meaning: Turkey must do whatever the US wants it to do. For those familiar with Wolfowitz’s past remarks and statements, you already know that he has never before directed such harsh remarks towards Turkey nor employed such a negative tone. Yesterday, he overtly stressed that Turkey cannot pursue independent policies on certain sensitive issues.
FBI Focus Increases On Hamas, Hezbollah
Ruling Enables Intensified Probes
Washington Post -- May 8
By John Mintz
Wielding new powers granted by a six-month-old federal court decision, the FBI has greatly intensified decade-old investigations of alleged U.S. supporters of the Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] and Hezbollah terrorist groups, according to government officials.
[Another tangent ... And by the way, thanks Israel! We appreciate the guidance. Perhaps Mofaz can emulate Wolfowitz's performance in Turkey, by coming on 60 Minutes to explain what Israel would like the US to do about Iran.]
U.S.: Iran violating nuclear treaty
Wants global denouncement
New York Times viaThe Charlotte Observer -- May 8
STEVEN R. WEISMAN
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is concerned that Iran has accelerated its covert nuclear program and is now seeking broad international support for an official finding that Tehran has violated its commitment not to produce nuclear weapons, administration officials said Wednesday.
"It's not just that Iran is speeding up its nuclear plans," said an administration official. "It's also that we've only recently learned some things about their program that have been going on for two years. There's also a lot of hammering from the Israelis for us to take this problem seriously."
Commentary
My experiences with the disappearing story about "Rice blocked plan for raids on Syria", I've been acutely aware of the tactic of "the reaction becomes the story." The lead of the Rice story was no longer about a radical hawk v. moderate hawk showdown. The lead was the White House busting on the press.
With the story on Wolfowitz v. Turkey, I am concerned that twist on this technique will occur. Rather than the story being about Wolfowitz's radical and dangerous call for the Turkish military to show more leadership in the political arena, the story is about Turkey's defiance.
See NTV-MSNBC and AP stories below.
Weblog: Convert Killed in Attack on Missionary's Lebanon Home
Plus: Dobson and other conservatives reportedly thinking about leaving Republican Party, YWAM missionaries hospitalized with SARS, and other stories from online sources around the world.
Christianity Today -- May 7
Compiled by Ted Olsen
Dutch missionary Jakob Griffioen (alternate but apparently incorrect spellings: Jacob Gerifon, Grifion) and his German wife woke up around midnight last night to the sound of someone at the front door of their ground floor apartment in the northern Lebanon town of Tripoli. When they checked to see what was happening, all they saw was someone running away down the street—and a package at their door.
"They called for help from a Jordanian and an Egyptian, two of their followers, who live in the adjacent apartment," a police officer told the AFP news service. "The Jordanian, who was the first to arrive, was killed instantly by the explosion of the device."
[This will be the first visit by a president of Iran to Lebanon since 1979.]
Iran, Lebanon to ink agreements during Khatami's upcoming Beirut
visit
IRNA -- May 8
Beirut -- Iran and Lebanon reviewed draft agreements
that are to be finalized shortly, it was announced Wednesday.
In a meeting Wednesday, Iran's Minister of Housing and Urban
Development Ali Abdolalizadeh and head of the Iran-Lebanon Joint
Economic Commission and the Lebanese Minster of Commerce Marwan
Hemadah, Minister of Finance Fowad Siniorah and Head of the central
Bank Riaz Salamah reviewed the draft bilateral agreements.
Heads of several key organizations of Lebanon as well as Iran's
envoy to Beirut Masoud Edrisi were also present in the meeting.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Hemadah said the talks
between the Iranian and Lebanese officials were in fact intended to
prepare documents and agreements that would be inked during the
upcoming visit to Lebanon by the Iranian President Seyed Mohammad
Khatami.
He said the plan by the Iranian president to visit Lebanon is an
indication of the Iran-Lebanon brotherly links.
He said agreements on the sports, youth affairs, energy, customs
and trade transactions are to be signed during the residential visit.
He thanked the Iranian authorities for opening credit line for
Lebanon adding that the credit documents are to be inked during the
visit too.
Abdolalizadeh also termed as positive the results of his talks
with the Lebanese officials and said talks on the preparations of the
presidential visits were pretty fruitful.
The Iranian minister said Iran is to provide a 50-million dlrs
loan to Lebanon adding that the loan is to be spent to implement four
major developmental projects in Lebanon.
Construction of some slaughterhouses, roads and implementation of
energy and water supply systems projects are among these developmental
plans, he said.
He said the Khatami trip would be a turning point in the
political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
He thanked the Lebanese officials for making proper preparations
for Khatami's visit.
President Khatami is to visit Lebanon shortly to discuss the
all-out Tehran-Beirut bilateral ties as well issues of mutual
interest.
During his visit that will be performed at the official invitation
by Lebanese President General Emile Lahoud, Khatami will ink several
bilateral agreements with Lebanese authorities.
This is the first visit to Lebanon by an Iranian President since
the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Khatami who is to lead a ranking delegation to Beirut will discuss
the developments in the region and in particular the Iraqi issue.
The two sides are expected to exchange views on a wide spectrum of
issues including the Middle East current situation, the latest
developments in Iraq and Palestine and the actions by the Zionist
regime in the wake of the collapse of the Iraqi regime.
Commenting on the presidential visit to Lebanon, Iranian
Ambassador to Beirut Masoud Edrisi earlier told IRNA that during his
three-day stay in Lebanon, the Iranian president will receive Iranian
scholars, top clerics, politicians and academics living in Lebanon.
The ambassador said the Lebanese have a strong interest in the
Islamic Republic of Iran since they are quite aware that among the
Muslim and regional states it was Iran which has stood beside Lebanon
in tough times.
They are also quite aware that Iran has played a key role in the
construction of the infrastructures of Lebanon, the envoy added.
Bomb targets Dutch evangelist in Lebanon
UPI -- May 7
BEIRUT -- Security authorities in Lebanon stepped up efforts Wednesday to head off anti-Western attacks after a bomb targeting a Dutch evangelist and his family exploded overnight outside their northern Lebanon home.
Another intended target was the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Vincent Battle, who was supposed to die in a rocket attack on his car some weeks ago, security sources said. Lebanese General Prosecutor Judge Adnan Addoum confirmed the report, saying Khaled al-Ali -- was arrested last week in connection with bombings targeting U.S. franchise restaurants in Lebanon -- confessed that his Muslim fundamentalist network was planning to assassinate Battle.
Kerry calls for pressure on Syria and Lebanon, Dean agrees
AP via the Charleston Gazette -- May 7
By WILL LESTER
WASHINGTON -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry urged President Bush to label Syria and Lebanon "money-laundering concerns'' following reports that $1 billion stolen from Iraq may have been transported to Syria.
Kerry got support in that request from an unexpected source, Howard Dean, a competitor for the nomination and a frequent critic.
Gul commends Syria's stances on ME peace
Arabic News -- May 7
Syria's Turkish Premier and Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, underlined the correctness of the Syrian position towards the peace process in the region.
In a statement in Ankara on Tuesday, Gul stressed the necessity of implementation of the United Nations resolutions stipulating the full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories including the Golan Heights and the establishment of a Palestinian state as a condition for realizing just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
He expressed comfort over the results of the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell's recent talks in Damascus.
He expected that the Syrian-Turkish relations will witness important developments during the forthcoming stage.
Gul stressed the necessity of Turkey's dialogue with Syria and Iran for maintaining Iraq's unity, independence, sovereignty and security.
Previous Stories:
Jumhuriate: Turkey for closer relations with Syria (5/3/2003)
Al-Shara - Gul's press conference on Iraq, developments (4/30/2003)
Syrian Turkish parliamentary talks (4/30/2003)
[More on Wolfowitz's arrogant foray into Turkish politics.]
Turkish premier brushes aside criticism by U.S. Deputy
Defense Secretary Wolfowitz
AP via Boston Globe -- May 7
ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday rejected U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's call that Turkey concede it made a mistake by not opening its doors to the U.S. military during the Iraq war.
''Turkey, from the very beginning, never made any mistakes, and has taken all the necessary steps in all sincerity,'' Erdogan told reporters.
In an interview broadcast Tuesday on CNN-Turk, Wolfowitz criticized Ankara for its refusal to allow the United States to base troops in Turkey or use its military bases during the war. That refusal, which came amid strong Turkish public opposition to the war, has increased tension between the two NATO allies.
Wolfowitz said he wanted Turkey to change its attitude.
''Let's have a Turkey that steps up and says, 'We made a mistake, we should have known how bad things were in Iraq, but we know now. Let's figure out how we can be as helpful as possible to the Americans,''' Wolfowitz said. ''I'd like to see a different sort of attitude than I have yet detected.''
Secretary of State Colin Powell, however, insisted that while Washington had been ''disappointed'' by Turkish decision before the war, ''they're working with us now in a very cooperative way.''
''Notwithstanding that disappointment ... we have a good partnership with Turkey, and I'm sure it will continue to grow in the years ahead,'' he told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Turkey's deputy chief of military staff, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, rejected Wolfowitz's assertions.
''The Turkish Armed Forces always carries out its duties in a democratic way. It has done so until now and will continue to do so,'' he told reporters. ''It would not be normal in a democratic country for the armed forces to intervene after a motion goes to parliament and is rejected there.''
Turks feared the war would derail Turkey's frail economic recovery and destabilize the region.
Turkey allowed the United States to use its airspace after the war had begun.
Wolfowitz also called for the predominantly Muslim nation to follow Washington's line in its relations with neighboring Iran and Syria.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul recently visited Syria, and Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref paid a visit to Turkey, stoking concerns that Turkey's government, formed by a party with roots in political Islam, is moving away from its U.S. ties.
[Provisional Secretary of State Wolfowitz admonishes Turkish nation, calls on Turkish military to exert greater influence over political decisions.]
US wants Turkey on side over Iran, Syria
The US Deputy Defence Secretary also criticised Turkey for not doing more to support its ally in the recent war against Iraq.
NTV-MSNBC -- May 7
A senior Bush Administration official has called on Turkey to give greater backing to Washington’s hard line policies regarding Iran and Syria.
Speaking to Turkish television Tuesday, US Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz also said that the US had been disappointed in the failure of Ankara to support allied efforts in the war against neighbouring Iraq.
In particular he singled out the Turkish armed forces for not being more decisive when Turkey was debating whether or not to allow US troops to be deployed inside the country as part of efforts to open a second front against Iraq.
“I think for whatever reason, they did not play the strong leadership role,” Wolfowitz said.
The Deputy Defence Secretary said that Turkey should now work to rebuild its ties with the US and give greater support to Washington’s position regarding both Syria and Iran, which it claims give aid to terrorism and, in the case of Iran, may be trying to develop weapons of mass destruction.
“… let’s have a Turkey that steps up and says, ‘We made a mistake, we should have known how bad things were in Iraq, but we know now. Let’s figure out how we can be as helpful as possible to the Americans’,” Wolfowitz said.
Rice warns Syria on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction
AP via San Francisco Chronicle -- May 7
MADRID, Spain --
The United States would be forced to act if it discovered that Damascus allowed Iraq to hide weapons of mass destruction in Syria during the war, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said in an interview [with Spanish press] published Wednesday.
[Article also includes denial of a Syrian bid to resume talks with Israel prior to US invasion of Iraq.]
Syria: U.S. reaffirms Golan Heights return
UPI -- May 7
By Thanaa Imam
DAMASCUS, Syria -- Secretary of State Colin Powell renewed a U.S. commitment to Syria on the return of the Golan Heights as held by Syria in 1967 before being occupied by Israel, a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday.
[The bomb suspects are not a new story. The American-related targets are not new. The link between the bomb suspects and a threat against a specific American official is new. This comes on the heels of a conviction related to al Queda, making it the second "War on Terror" story out of Lebanon since Powell's visit on Saturday. Are we seeing a State v. DoD media war?]
Lebanon Says Bomb Suspects Tried To Kill US Envoy
MSNBC via Overseas Security Advisory Council -- May 7
BEIRUT, May 7 — Lebanese officials said on Wednesday that suspects detained for a series of bomb attacks on Western targets had also tried to kill the U.S. ambassador to the country. In a statement, the army said it had arrested several members of a network blamed for a string of bombings at fast food restaurants over the last year, and accused them of a "failed attempt to assassinate the ambassador of a major power."
A senior security official said the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon had been the target. An embassy spokesperson declined to comment immediately on the report.
"The army intelligence directorate, with the cooperation of the security apparatus of brotherly Syrian forces working in Lebanon, was able to apprehend a number of those who took part in the blasts and other previous terrorist acts," the army statement said.
The Lebanese army said at the weekend it had arrested the head of the network blamed for bombings of fast food restaurants, including a large car bomb which failed to explode outside a Beirut McDonalds in April.