Posted on 01/30/2002 8:24:53 AM PST by veronica
Syria on Wednesday demanded that Washington explain the U.S. Navy's search of two Syrian-registered merchant ships in its anti-terror campaign, blasting the operation as "an act of piracy".
The U.S. Sixth Fleet on Sunday searched the ships, which it said had displayed "suspicious behaviour", off the coast of Cyprus, but later said it had found nothing suspicious on board.
The issue of terror is a sore spot in relations between Damascus and Washington, which calls Syria a state sponsor of terrorism, and condemns Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrilla group and Palestinian militants who have Syrian backing.
"The foreign ministry has summoned the U.S. charge d'affaires and informed him of its strong objection to the act of piracy which the Sixth Fleet carried out in the Mediterranean against two Syrian commercial ships carrying citrus fruit," the state-run SANA news agency said.
"(It) has requested that the U.S. embassy clarify this violation of international law."
The U.S. European Command in Germany said in a statement on Tuesday the U.S. Navy had intercepted the merchant vessels Capten Mohamed and Hajji Rahmeh after having them under surveillance for several weeks.
"These operations are intended to deny the Mediterranean to anyone who would use it for any activities related to terrorism," the statement said.
The navies of 10 countries are hunting Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, top U.S. suspect in last September's suicide attacks on U.S. cities, and fugitives from his al Qaeda organisation fleeing Afghanistan after Washington's military campaign there.
Syria condemned the attacks, but says the ensuing anti-terror campaign must not target such groups as Hizbollah and Palestinian militants, which it defends as legitimate national resistance to Israel.
I guess the Syrians still have a bit of the Phoenecian in them!
Well then Syria can simply declare war against the United States of America.
If during this war the American Military is to be cast in the role of a global policeman.
Then should they not explain by what they mean as suspicious behaviour, and how does a ship act in a suspicious manner.
Cheers Tony
PS, Syria, you and your puppet, Lebannon, are on the appetizer list of small Despotic Arabic Terrorist countries to smash and turn over to those don't hate America! You and your puppet have trained terrorists in a certain valley for at least two decades. Payment time is approaching!
In much the same manner that we know that Arafat is lying, because, if he's talking, he's lying.
If a Syrian or Palestinian ship is afloat, it's acting suspiciously.
That's a joke .. I say, that's a joke, son!
8')
Of course, there was that al Qaeda guy we found on a ship a few months back, who had made his shipping container into a comfortable home (bed, portapotti, stove, satellite phone). It's too bad this shipping container wasn't one of those that's not secured down properly and ends up in the drink.
Any ship registered to Syria or the like kind of states is suspicious by definition.
LOL Funny reply.
But the crux of the matter is, what right did America have to stop those ships other than she has the capability.
America is not at war with Syria, the ships were no where near any nation that America was blockading, and there was no mention of intelligence received.
The lesson here is might makes right.
Ok Americans don’t like the Arabs and yes Arabs don’t like America, but America wants to be part of the Arab world, she want to continue basing rights there and wants access to Arab oil. These actions will push the Arab world further away from the west, continued actions that seem to show American domination, will in my book cause as much harm to the war on terrorism as bloody Sunday did in our war against the IRA.
Cheers Tony
Reminds me of a line from Clancy'e Executive Orders, Ryan to the Indian PM...
"Madame Prime Minister, is it your intention to declare war on the United States of America?"
If the US Navy explains what kind of behaviour they regard as suspicious, then their targets will just avoid that kind of behaviour. No point giving the enemy more information than you have to. In reality the ship probably wasn't doing anything suspicious, and was just boarded acting on some dodgy intelligence.
Arkle, in North Ireland for a time the whole catholic population was seen as the enemy, therefore they were treated as such, surprise surprise we in are actions proved to be the best recruiting tool the IRA had.
When was Syria designated an enemy, has America declared war on them.
Cheers Tony
Do you imply that the Royal Navy has never acted in a similar manner?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.