War (of Words) with Syria

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Tuesday, Oct 07, 2003

Mofaz approves limited reserve call-up due to terror alerts
Ha'aretz -- October 7, 2002

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz approved on Tuesday a limited call-up of Israel Defense Forces reserve soldiers due to the large amount of terror alerts and the urgent need to tighten security along the seam-line boundary with the West Bank.

Israel Radio reported on Tuesday evening, however, that the number of general terror warnings dropped from approximately 40 last week to 35 this week.
- mark 10-08-2003 2:10 am [link]

Sharon Threatens to Hit Israel's Enemies Anywhere
Reuters -- October 7, 2003

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened Tuesday to hit Israel's enemies anywhere following an air raid deep in Syria, drawing words of support and caution from President Bush.

"The decisions that he makes to defend her people are valid decisions. We would be doing the same thing," Bush told reporters in Washington when asked about Sharon's remarks.
- mark 10-08-2003 2:02 am [link]

U.S. takes harder line with Syria
San Jose Mercury News -- October 7, 2003

WASHINGTON - After Israel's weekend attack on an alleged terrorist training camp in Syria, a harsher policy toward Damascus is taking shape on Capitol Hill and in the Bush administration.

President Bush on Monday refused to criticize Israel's raid early Sunday on the camp outside Damascus. The raid came a day after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed 19 people and wounded 50 others in Haifa, Israel.

Bush said he told Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ``Israel's got a right to defend herself, that Israel must not feel constrained in terms of defending the homeland.''

The president added that he reminded Sharon ``that it's very important that any action Israel takes should avoid escalation and creating higher tensions.''

Critics say the White House stance gives the Israeli leader virtually a free hand to conduct more strikes on Syria -- which might further destabilize the Middle East -- and identifies the United States too closely with Sharon's policies.

Hawks at the Pentagon haven't given up on the idea of ``regime change'' in Damascus and recently asked the CIA to come up with a list of Syrian notables who might one day succeed Syrian President Bashar Assad, said a U.S. official who requested anonymity.

U.S. officials and lawmakers say Syria has failed to heed warnings to stop Islamist militants from crossing its border into Iraq to attack U.S. troops, and has resisted demands from Secretary of State Colin Powell and others to shut down Palestinian militant groups operating on its territory.

An alleged espionage ring at the U.S. detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, also may involve Syria. A U.S. airman arrested in July faces charges of providing information on the camp and its detainees to the Syrian government.

Syria ``is living on borrowed time,'' a State Department official said recently, referring to the mood in Washington. He spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Capitol Hill, the House International Relations Committee is scheduled Wednesday to approve the Syria Accountability Act, which would encourage Bush to impose new economic and diplomatic sanctions on the government of Assad.
- mark 10-08-2003 1:46 am [link]

Syria sanctions poised to sail through US Congress
Sydney Morning Herald -- October 8, 2003

The Bush Administration, which essentially endorsed Israel's bombing of Syria, has given the all-clear to the US Congress to approve economic sanctions against Syria.

Sources said the Administration, frustrated with Syria's failure to crack down on alleged terrorists, had dropped its opposition to the stalled Syria Accountability Act. The House of Representatives international relations committee will approve it today, staff members said on Monday.
- mark 10-08-2003 1:40 am [link]