Posted on 10/10/2005 10:08:03 AM PDT by Esther Ruth
Rice Favors Diplomatic Isolation Over Attacking Syria 17:25 Oct 10, '05 / 7 Tishrei 5766 By Scott Shiloh
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice succeeded in thwarting a United States attack on Syria at an October 1st meeting of senior American officials.
According to Newseek magazine, Rice said she favored isolating Syria diplomatically over launching a military strike. She cited a pending UN report that may blame Syria for assassinating former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
The United States has accused Syria of harboring Iraqi insurgents who have been escalating the war against American forces in Iraq. U.S. forces have recently been waging an offensive against insurgents infiltrating into Iraq from Syria. The offensive has concentrated on Iraqi towns along the Syrian border.
President Bush turned up the heat on the Syrian government last Thursday when he referred to it as an “outlaw regime,” even going so far as to say that such a regime was an “enemy of civilization.”
(Excerpt) Read more at arutzsheva.net ...
Prior to the president’s speech, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, said last month that “our patience was running out,” with Damascus.
In contrast to the recent harsh rhetoric, Newsweek reported that the United States had been privately praising Syria for handing Saddam Hussein’s half-brother Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan, to U.S. forces earlier in the year.
Syrian-U.S. relations, however, soured a few months ago when Syria cut off all security and intelligence cooperation with the United States, in retaliation for the United States’ tough public stance against the regime. The loss of cooperation has been costing the United States vital information important for precluding planned terrorist attacks.
Syria’s ambassador the United States, Imad Moustapha, told Newsweek that Syria was willing to resume cooperation with the United States, provided that the U.S. cease its public criticism of that country.
A U.S. attack on Syria could have serious repercussions for the Jewish State. Syria is known to have stored large quantities of chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Some security analysts suggest that Iraq may have transferred its weapons of mass destruction to Syria before the American strike on that country in 2003.
Some military analysts claim that Syria would choose to retaliate against Israel, in the event of a U.S. attack, an action that could embroil the Middle East in a major Arab-Israeli war. Such would have serious consequences for the region and the world at large.
Aside from attacking Israel directly, Syria could signal its proxies in Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah, to reignite the border with Israel. Hezbollah reportedly has in its possession thousands of surface to surface missiles that could destroy targets as far south as Haifa.
Click here for our free Daily News Report from Israel
Published: 17:09 October 10, 2005 Last Update: 17:25 October 10, 2005
ping
Enter "good cop".
What about blockading Syria by land and sea and cutting off all their trade?
She would make a terrible president, IMO.
Why do you think she would make a terrible President?
Why, because she's trying to prevent Armegeddon?
Diplomatic isolation might work, with the cooperation of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, and depending on cooperation from Russia, and ability to monitor air bridge between Syria and rest of world, especially Iran.
I agree. She'd be a horrible candidate.
Is Somebody giving us more time to get things done.....
Assad & his father's leftover terrorist promoting Arab cronies are begging for it.
Lock & load!
Seems like people made the same argument that Sadaam would play ball if only Iraq were isolated. We know how well that worked. The best way to isolate Islamofacist regimes like Syria is to make them glow in the dark.
If this was Albright, it would be a 500 post thread excoriating her and her boss.
WOW. Diplomatic isolation. How original. With a long history of success!!!!!
How many Americans have to die in Iraq to prove it won't work?
On the other hand, when Israel is forced to hit Syria, Syria always take notice- and usually stops or slows down whatever they were doing that pissed off Israel.
Of course they then go crying to the International community and the State Dept condemns Israel - at which point Syria resumes whatever they were doing- but that's just the way of the World.
Here Israel is again the problem. Can't attack Syria, why they may then attack Israel. So I guess in a round about way, Americans die in Iraq because of Israel.
Go ahead, Condi, attack Syria, save American lives and let Israel take care of itself.
She would make a terrible president, IMO.
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She has the Washington disease. Politics before what is really needed. We are suffering enough from this administration where politics are FAR more important than what is really needed by, and good for, America.
That would be considered an act of war. Syria could (rightfully) attack us.
Syria, "leave me alone"
Rice,"Go to your room"
you mean she thinks about the consequences down the road
instead of listening to the "nuke 'em" crowd out in the
parking lot?
I say she's crafting a good policy.
Yah but hows she going to feel about it on a "crampy" day.
Just shoot me and get it over with.
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