War (of Words) with Syria
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Wednesday, Apr 16, 2003
[Only a few questions on Syria in today's White House briefing. Quoted below is perhaps the most pointed exchange. This is in sharp contrast to the April 14th briefing which was peppered with questions about Syria. I find it surprising that their were no references to today's Guardian article, which I read late last night.]
White House Briefing -- April 15
www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/
Q Why is the focus on Syria?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the focus is on Syria is because Syria is the nation that's harboring Iraqis.
Q Do you have proof of that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, certainly, we would not have said it, Secretary Powell would not have said it, the President wouldn't have said it.
Q Why don't you present the proof, then?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as always, Helen, this is an old argument. We have information that comes into our hands for a variety of means. We prefer to keep getting that information. We feel confident --
Q Don't think it will enhance your credibility if you showed us?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think our credibility is rather strong.
[Concise review of official and press responses.]
Utusan Express (Malaysia) -- April 15
World leaders, press alarmed as US turns sights to Syria
PARIS - World leaders and press reacted with a mixture of caution and dismay on Tuesday to the United States' escalating threats to Syria, which it accuses of harbouring Iraqi leaders and chemical weapons.
[Broadly ranging article on Syria, Iraq, Chalabi, Abbas. Covers Rumsfeld, Powell and Syrian comments which were covered in posts below. Gulf Cooperation Council weighs in.]
Washington Post -- April 15
U.S. Keeps Diplomatic Pressure on Syria
By Thomas W. Lippman
U.S. military officials said, Special Forces have stepped up their activities along Iraq's border with Syria, trying to cut off the possible escape of Iraqi officials or the transport of banned weapons.
The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, rejected U.S. accusations that Syria was developing chemical weapons and harboring Iraqi officials and urged the United States to get out of Iraq as quickly as possible.
"We think the threat to Syria should stop. We don't think Syria wants a war or to escalate any situation," Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Jasim Thani told reporters after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of the six Gulf states in the Saudi capital. "We reject any infringement of Syria's security. . . . We are watching this with great care and if there is any problem to be solved it is to be solved by direct negotiations by both sides."
Ha'aretz -- April 16
Dozens of senior Iraqis flee to Syria
By Ze'ev Schiff
Dozens, and perhaps hundreds, of Iraqi officials escaped to Syria, according to fresh assessments by intelligence organizations including the U.S., British and Israeli services, which were surprised by the large numbers involved after initial estimates that only a few dozen made their way to Syria during or prior to the war.
Arabic News -- April 15
Mubarak discusses with Bush the Iraqi issue, threats on Syria
Well- informed diplomatic sources in Cairo said that the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, is seeking to contain the statements and threats launched by American officials, in which they accused Syria of supporting terrorism, seeking to own chemical weapons and harboring former officials in the regime of the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
[Also covered in Mubarak-Bush conversation were the Israel Palestine roadmap and the situation in Iraq.]
[Tuesday's comments from Sharon. Support for Syria from Iran and Spain.]
Al Jazeera -- April 15
Syria dominates Middle East agenda
Syria continued to dominate the world’s agenda on Tuesday amid a flurry of statements and diplomatic manoeuvrings.
Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon weighed into the war of words demanding that greater pressure be brought upon the recalcitrant” country by the US to rid it of Palestinian "terrorists" while Iran threatened that any US-military action against Syria would be construed as an attack against Iran.
Through the escalating wrangle, Syria has struck a consistent note of indignation alleging that hardline “Zionists” had infiltrated the corridors of power in Washington and taken over its Middle East policy.
Israel’s Prime Minister was the harshest on Syria on the day, accusing its president, Bashar al-Asad of being a “dangerous" man, "whose judgment was impaired.”
[Comments from several Lebanese officials.]
The Daily Star -- April 15
Lebanese leaders stand by Syria against US
Speaker calls on america to respect rights of other countries
by Khalil Fleihan
Lebanese leaders are standing by Syria against charges from US officials that Damascus has been supporting the regime of Saddam Hussein and possesses weapons of mass destruction.
Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday called for a halt to such statements from officials in the US administration.
[More on the pipeline.]
UPI -- April 15
Iraq, Syria had big plans for oil
By Hil Anderson
LOS ANGELES -- The coalition's shutdown of a crude pipeline linking northern Iraq with the Syrian port of Banias for now has pulled the plug on the ties that Damascus had forged with Saddam Hussein's regime in the energy sector.
[Rumsfeld confirms pipeline story. Review of recent comments from the US, Syria, Israel, Spain, UK, Hezbollah, UN.]
BBC -- April 15
US 'blocks' Syria pipeline
Ties between the US and Syria have long been strained
The US says it has blocked a pipeline used to pump Iraqi oil to Syria, in volume that allegedly violated UN sanctions.
There were fresh rumours last week that Syria had been importing large amounts of Iraqi oil in contravention of sanctions on Iraq, when Syrian crude oil deliveries fell sharply after a pipeline was thought to have been bombed.
The disclosure can only add to increasingly strained relations between the US and Syria, which on Tuesday rebuffed recent US allegations that it is developing chemical weapons.
Syria said such claims were designed to further the interests of Israel.
Arab countries, Russia and the European Union have also condemned the US for making threats against Syria over the war in Iraq.
But on Tuesday, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer kept up the pressure, saying "the focus is on Syria because Syria is the nation that is harbouring Iraqis" - a reference to the US claim that some of Saddam Hussein's allies may have fled to the country.
[A review of recent US and Israeli rhetoric directed towards Syria.]
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty -- April 15
U.S./Syria: What's Behind Washington's War Of Words?
By Jeffrey Donovan
"The president, the vice president, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense, the national security adviser and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff have all issued threats and warnings to Syria over the last week. This is unheard-of with respect to U.S.-Syrian relations. Never before have those high-level officials made those kinds of statements."