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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, pictured 06 June 2005, consolidated his power base as the ruling Baath party replaced many of its veterans at the top with figures close to Syria's leader, at the close of a four-day congress.(AFP/File/Louai Beshara)

Assad consolidates power in Syria as UN warns of new action over Lebanon

Thu Jun 9, 3:41 PM ET

DAMASCUS (AFP) - President Bashar al-Assad consolidated his power base as the ruling Baath party replaced many of its veterans at the top with figures close to Syria's leader, at the close of a four-day congress.

The meeting ended amid news that the heat on Syria could be turned up over its decades-long domination of neighbouring Lebanon.

The 21-member Baath national command was slimmed down to 14 ministers, with Vice Presidents Abdel Halim Khaddam and Zuheir Masharka as well as former defence minister Mustapha Tlass among the veterans making their exit.

The congress pledged to press ahead with reform, adopting the principle of a "social market economy" that would transform the pervasive public sector while supporting the private sector, state television said.

It also recommended a "revision of the electoral law" for holding legislative and local polls, the television said.

And the party called for the formation of "higher council for information" and amendments to the law on publications that lays down prison terms for offenders.

A new press law was expected to allow private media to play an essential role in the future.

As Syria faces international pressure over a clampdown on dissidents and US-led allegations of supporting terror, one banned opposition leader had called the congress "a last chance to change or be changed" by foreign powers.

The congress recommended a new law that would authorize other political parties.

However, parties could not assemble based on "ethnic, religious or regional" grounds, effectively ruling out the Kurdish minority and the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, Syria's two main opposition groups.

The congress marked the 10th meeting of Baath party members since the party based on Arab nationalist and socialist lines took control of Syria four decades ago.

If the regime does not change, banned opposition National Democratic Movement spokesman Abdel Azim said, "Syria will face real danger, the kind that has happened in Iraq."

During debate on Wednesday, some delegates emphasised "the need to pursue dialogue with United States and Europe on different subjects," state-run newspaper Tishrin said.

According to sources close to the participants, some delegates harshly criticised Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara for his dealings with Lebanon and the United States.

They accused Shara of "putting Syria in a dead end" situation by allegedly remaining convinced until the last minute that a UN resolution calling for Syria's military withdrawal from Lebanon would fail to pass.

The resolution was adopted by the Security Council last September and resulted in Syria's withdrawal of its troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon that was completed on April 26.

In his opening address, Assad said priority had to be given to improving the living standards of the people and to battling corruption.

According to a joint UN-Syrian report, one in 10 Syrians survives on less than two dollars a day, and the state-controlled economy is plagued by a 12 percent unemployment rate.

While Assad continues as secretary general, there were widespread changes at the top of the Baath.

Among the new faces in the new Baath leadership team were Defence Minister Hassan Turkmani, national intelligence chief Hisham Bakhtiar, an advisor to Assad, Hayssam Satayhi.

Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri, Finance Minister Mohammed al-Hussein and national security chief Mohammed Said Bkhetan kept their places, while parliament speaker speaker Mahmud al-Abrash was among the newcomers.

In New York, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Thursday he may send a verification team back to Lebanon following reports that elements of Syrian intelligence agencies may not have pulled out.

"We are now receiving reports that there may be elements that are still there, and we are considering the possible return of the verification team to ascertain what is going on," Annan told reporters.

Military police supply, train Iraqi Highway Patrol

09 June, 2005 by news

UMM QASSR, Iraq– As coalition forces work to secure the country of Iraq, the U.S. Army’s military police are working to make sure the Iraqi Highway Patrol has the tools it needs to help in the security effort.

Story, Photos by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp

MNC-I – PAO

POLICE

Soldiers from the 503rd Military Police Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 18th MP Brigade, Mannheim, Germany, are supporting the IHP in all facets, including what they need most – vehicles.

A May 19 convoy showed the diligence of the MPs, as the IHP took home 110 blue and white Chevrolet pickups. The four-door trucks were outfitted with blue and red lights, radio systems and spotlights.

Capt. Robert J. Baker of the 503rd, said the idea of the Iraqi Highway Patrol is a new concept to Iraq, and his unit is tasked with doing everything it can to ensure its success.

“Our main effort is logistically supplying these people,” Baker said. “We’re taking primary responsibility in getting the IHP vehicles and weapons and other logistical supplies they need in order to operate.”

Baker, from Rochester, N.Y., said getting the IHP new vehicles is a key to both forces’ success, because, “Without them, the IHP can’t do their job.”

“These vehicles to the IHPs are just like a (Humvee) to an MP,” Baker said.

“We get them the vehicles and we get them out on the road,” said Baker, who is the civil military operations officer for the 503rd. “The more vehicles we get them, the more apt they are to do their job effectively. The more Iraqi highway patrolmen we can have out on the roads, the bigger impact they are going to make.”

According to Baker this is just the beginning of new vehicles for the IHP. The 503rd is responsible for six IHP stations, with six more coming under their command by September, and Baker said that each IHP station is to be fielded with 35 vehicles.

“There is going to be a projected 35 IHP stations throughout Iraq, and we’re only talking about six – soon to be 12 – falling under us,” Baker said.

Through the use of trucks previously fielded to the IHP, they have been able to take some of the burden off of U.S. forces.

“They’re out there finding (improvised explosive devices,) they’re finding (anti-Iraqi forces,) and they are making a significant contribution by doing their job in the field,” Baker said.

Maj. Muhammad, a platoon leader with the Iraqi Police, said with the help from Baker and Maj. Andy T. Johnson of the 18th MP Bde., the IHP is able to do their job and work toward relieving coalition forces.

“These trucks are going to help out a lot,” said Muhammad, a 15-year veteran of the Iraqi police force. “Before the war, we had junk vehicles sent to us by the Saddam regime, and there was no way we could get this number of vehicles before the war under Saddam. These vehicles are going to do a great job in different provinces around Iraq.”

Muhammad, who acts as a liaison for Johnson and Baker, said that through the training and support received, “The American government is trying to make it happen for us. They support our forces so we can take the responsibility from our friends the Coalition forces. That way we can reach our goal – the Iraqi government goal – of controlling our country with our own forces.”

Along with supplying the force, the 18th and 503rd are responsible for ensuring the policemen of the IHP have the knowledge and skills at their disposal to accomplish their missions.

“We have a training academy that puts out roughly between 150 to 250 Iraqi Highway Patrol officers a month,” Baker said. “It is a 21-day point of instruction for them, and it’s not a monitoring relationship. It’s more a working hand-in-hand relationship.

“We go out on joint patrols with them, and we deal with every facet as far as their operations to make sure they will be set up for success when we start pulling out,” he said.

Future operations for the MPs include a new class of recruits beginning the academy, acquiring more trucks to complete the IHP fleet and the completion of the six new IHP stations.

Analysts missed Chinese buildup

Chinese soldiers march next to Tiananmen Square during an official ceremony outside Beijing's Great Hall of the People June 2, 2005. (AP)

By Bill Gertz - THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A highly classified intelligence report produced for the new director of national intelligence concludes that U.S. spy agencies failed to recognize several key military developments in China in the past decade, The Washington Times has learned.

The report was created by several current and former intelligence officials and concludes that U.S. agencies missed more than a dozen Chinese military developments, according to officials familiar with the report.

The report blames excessive secrecy on China's part for the failures, but critics say intelligence specialists are to blame for playing down or dismissing evidence of growing Chinese military capabilities.......(Excerpt)