Syria Challenges U.S. Over Charges of Aiding Saddam

Reuters ^ | Inal Ersan

[Pharmboy]

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara said on Saturday U.S. accusations that Damascus had helped Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s Iraq (news - web sites) were baseless and challenged Washington to provide evidence.

Senior figures in President Bush (news - web sites)'s administration have accused Syria in recent weeks of providing military help to Saddam.

Shara said Syria was not taking seriously what he called "threats" from the Bush administration because "they do not represent the general view in the United States."

"These (threats and accusations) are based on allegations that are baseless," Shara told a joint news conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin.

"Sometimes (the Bush administration) don't know what they want... We say to them give us evidence," he said.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said the United States would hold Syria accountable for reported shipments of military equipment, including night vision goggles, to Iraq, calling them "hostile acts."

Shara said Syria's ties with Saddam's government were "not friendly for many years" and that Damascus wanted to have good relations "with the American people."

Syria, a staunch opponent of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, has warned repeatedly that the conflict would throw the region into chaos.

"We are victimized. I am telling you now, because (the Bush administration) failed they are trying to pinpoint at a third country, perhaps Syria or another country," said Shara.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said on Thursday Washington did not have a list of nations it plans to attack, as he tried to quell speculation that the United States may move on from Iraq to countries like Syria and Iran.

Villepin, who was in Damascus as the second stop on a four-nation tour of Arab states, repeated French calls for the United Nations (news - web sites) to be given a major role in a postwar Iraq.

"One country can win a war but it takes many countries to install peace," said Villepin, who met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

[Pharmboy]

Beads of sweat starting to form??

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[ApesForEvolution]

When we provide the evidence, then can we start bom-bing them?

[RS]

No - Let's send Blix in for a few months and give our guys a little breather

[ThreePuttinDude]

"We are victimized. I am telling you now, because (the Bush administration) failed they are trying to pinpoint at a third country, perhaps Syria or another country," said Shara.

Have you ever noticed how these people are always ""victimized"", besides that, what the hell type of sentence structure is that??

[Wild Irish Rogue]

Feels like Groundhog Day-the same cast,the same phrases-hopefully,the same outcome.

[green team 1999]

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara

is anybody in the middle east telling the truth these days?

[fiftymegaton]

These people in Syria aren't very smart. Didn't they see what we did to Saddam & his cohorts? They better shutta they mouths and fess up.

[fiftymegaton]

These people in Syria aren't very smart. Didn't they see what we did to Saddam & his cohorts? They better shutta they mouths and fess up. And then apologize a few dozen times.

[ApesForEvolution]

Ha ha ha. We can rotate force. Syria will be stupid enough to shell Israel and really bring itself to a quick end.

[Kudsman]

Shara said Syria was not taking seriously what he called "threats" from the Bush administration because "they do not represent the general view in the United States

Another delusional Baathist that underestimates our resolve to prevent any more 911's. Keep barking cur and we will muzzle you.

[Pharmboy]

Another thing this Iraqi war did was show how the technologically-advanced armies are the way to bet. Who do you think is more advanced: Israel or Syria?

[mdittmar]

Gunman Who Shot Marine in Baghdad Was Syrian, U.S. Says
Reuters April 12

[Frunabulax]

Let's not be hasty here. We need to send the 4th ID over to investigate and collect some evidence first.

[Inyokern]

Shara said Syria was not taking seriously what he called "threats" from the Bush administration because "they do not represent the general view in the United States."

He probably gets his news from the New York Times and Dan Rather.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for the link; very interesting. No question that many Syrians crossed the border to help out the Iraqi-Baathists. At least he's a dead Syrian terrorist now.

[Kudsman]

Have you ever noticed how these people are always ""victimized"",

BTW Baath party = secular Socialist = victims of those Evil capitalists. ;^)

[tiamat]

green team 1999 wrote:

is anybody in the middle east telling the truth these days?

******************************

Well the Israelis do, in general.....

Tia