Congress passes Syria sanctions bill

AP/The Jerusalem Post ^ | 21 November 2003 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[anotherview]

408-8. I wonder who the eight weasels were.

Ooops... my apologies to weasels. Unfair to them to be compared to politicians unwilling to act against terrorists.

[anotherview]

ping

[Lijahsbubbe]

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage agreed, saying that when Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Damascus in May "he made it very clear to President Assad and his colleagues that they had come to a fork in the road. ... They didn't choose to take the right one."

Whoops, looks like they're on the road that will lead to meeting the US military.

[thoughtomator]

Is that anything like the road Moab will take to Damascus?

[sarasota]

Oh dear...it's going to "damage [our] overall standing in the Middle East". Note to Syria: the damage has been done. This is part of our "damage control".

[yonif]

The House on Thursday voted 408-8 in favor of a Senate-amended version of the legislation that, at the urging of the White House, gives the president greater leeway to waive the punishment on the basis of national security.

National security eh? Just like the fact President Bush continues to waive the house resolution calling for the US embassy to move to Jerusalem, and just like the President waving sanctions over the PLO terror regime, allowing their offices to remain open, and allowing it to continue to receive US aid, even though it engages in terrorism against Israelis and Americans.

[Grampa Dave]

I was not able to find the congressits who voted no.

However here are the Senators who voted no:

Voting against the bill were Sens. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and James Jeffords, I-Vt.

I know nothing about Enzi, but the other 3 are a complete waste of skin and oxygen.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

The interference with foreign policy is minimal. Like the Jerusalem Embassy bill or the bill closing PLO offices in the US, the sanctions can simply be waived by the White House.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

[Grampa Dave]

Keep me on your list. There are a lot of posts that I'm not interested, and there are a lot that I'm interested in.

Your pinging me alerts me and allows me to make a decision to read the article or not.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Grampa Dave--Oops, by mistake I only pinged you that time :>)

[anotherview]

I agree the bill will do little good as a practical matter. Symbolically (sp?), though, it sends and important message.

I wish more Freepers would ping the President about moving the embassy to Jerusalem. He did promise to do so during his campaign and he needs to be reminded of that.

[zx2dragon]

That would be HR 1828, glad to see it went through.

Another one to keep an eye on is aimed at the Saudis, S 1888.

[sheik yerbouty]

The Klamnsman, the turncoat, and two idjits..

[Lijahsbubbe]

We're off on the road to Damascus This camel is tough on the spine (hit me with a band-aid, Dad) Where they're goin', why we're goin', how can we be sure I'll lay you eight to five that we'll meet Dorothy Lamour (yeah, get in line)

Off on the road to Damascus Hang on till the end of the line (I like your jockey. Quiet) I hear this country's where they do the dance of the seven veils We'd tell you more (uh-ah) but we would have the censor on our tails (good boy)

We certainly do get around Like Webster's Dictionary we're Damascus bound

We're off on the road to Damascus Well look out, well clear the way, 'cause here we come Stand by for a concussion The men eat fire, sleep on nails and saw their wives in half It seems to me there should be easier ways to get a laugh (shall I slip on my big shoes?)

Off on the road to Damascus Hooray! Well blow a horn, everybody duck Yeah. it's a green light, come on boys

We may run into vilains but we're not afraid to roam Because we read the story and we end up safe at home (yeah) Certainly do get around Like Webster's Dictionary we're Damascus bound

We certainly do get around Like a complete set of Shakespeare that you get in the corner drugstore for a dollar ninety-eight We're Damascus bound

Or, like a volume of Omar Khayyam that you buy in the department store at Christmas time for your cousin Julia We're Damascus bound (we could be arrested)

(from Road to Morocco)

[stradivarius]

The House Reps who voted nay on the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act 0f 2003 (HR 1828):

--- NAYS    8 ---

John Conyers, Jr. (D., MI)	Dennis Kucinich (D., OH)	Nick Rahall II (D., WV)
John Dingell (D., MI)	Jim McDermott (D., WA)	Fortney P. Stark (D., CA)
Jeff Flake (R., AZ.)	Ron Paul (R., TX)

http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=654

[anotherview]

The two Republicans always vote against Israel and against any action against Arab and/or Muslim states. Of course, both Paul and Flake really are Libertarians who changed their registration to Republican to get elected.

That Dennis Kucinich is a total moron should surprise nobody.

[Mixer]

/begin sarcasm

I was surprised to see Ron Paul's name listed on the nays.

/end sarcasm

[anotherview]

BTTT.

[Davea]

U.S. deploys 20,000 troops near Syrian border

WORLD TRIBUNE.COM ^ | Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Posted on 11/19/2003 1:25 PM PST by Mossad1967

The United States has deployed 20,000 troops along the Syrian border after Syria failed to stop militants from crossing into Iraq.

As late as October, U.S. officials said hundreds of Islamic insurgents were crossing into Iraqi from Syria. They said Syrian authorities had failed to respond to U.S. appeals to stop the flow of insurgents.

U.S. military officials said the U.S. troop presence was bolstered beginning in September and has resulted in a significant drop in infiltration from Syria. The U.S. troops are based in the Iraqi province of Anbar, Middle East Newsline reported.

Maj. Gen. Charles Swannack, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, said the military completed a 200 percent increase in U.S. troops at Anbar. Swannack told a briefing in Baghdad on Tuesday that the increased deployment was also meant to stop infiltration from other Iraqi neighbors, such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia. But the U.S. presence has not halted the flow of insurgents from Syria. On Monday, the U.S. military said six suspected insurgents were captured near the Syrian border. One of them was later killed when he tried to attack a guard.

Swannack said the U.S. troop presence in Anbar has resulted in reducing the flow of insurgents from Syria. He said Islamic insurgents have launched attacks against the U.S. force near the 500-kilometer Syrian border. But he called the attacks ineffective.

"We are not fighting foreign fighters coming across the border in significant numbers," Swannack said. "We are fighting mostly former regime locals."