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US President George W. Bush directly linked Tehran to roadside bombings against US forces in Iraq, stepping up his criticisms of Iran amid a tense standoff over its nuclear program. "Tehran has been responsible for at least some of the increasing lethality of anti-coalition attacks by providing Shia militia with the capability to build improvised explosive devices in Iraq," Bush said in a speech. He cited recent congressional testimony from John Negroponte, the US director of national intelligence. The president's comments came as he launched a public relations offensive to bolster support for the war in Iraq some three years...

Iran put on show its new Shahab-3 ballistic missiles in a military parade, with the rockets sporting slogans including "We will crush America under our feet" and "Israel must be wiped off the map". Seven of the missiles were seen being rolled past a podium of the Islamic republic's leaders on their mobile launchers, the climax of a show of strength held to commemorate the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1980-88 war with Iraq. According to a commentary given over loud-speakers lining the parade route, the missiles have "a range of 1,700 kilometers" (1,060 miles) and "are capable of...

<p>Syrian leader Bashar Assad has been handed an opportunity by the United States' victory in Iraq that will decide his place in history. Bashar can follow his father, Hafez Assad, into the pantheon of ruthless tyrants who have killed thousands of their own people and threatened the peace and stability of the Arab world. Or he can decide to cooperate with the United States, turning over fleeing Iraqi officials, eliminating Syria's chemical weapons, and closing down terrorist training camps in Syria and Syrian-controlled Lebanon. If Mr. Assad is smart, he'll learn from Saddam Hussein's mistakes and avoid the wrath of the United States military.</p>

Assad's Situation Syria's military machine may be hollow, but it isn't harmless By Fred Kaplan Posted Tuesday, April 15, 2003, at 3:25 PM PT Bashar Assad, the young president of Syria, has got to be more than a little nervous right now. George W. Bush's press spokesman has called his country "a rogue nation." Unnamed senior officials are labeling him a member of the "junior varsity axis of evil." Even before U.S. tanks zoomed into Baghdad, Donald Rumsfeld was warning him to stop helping high-level Iraqi refugees or face the consequences. Now that the three-week lightning war is over, Colin...

Syria tells Washington to look closer to home Every day at least one member of the US administration points an accusing finger at Damascus. Today it was the turn of White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. "Syria is indeed a rogue nation". In a telephone conversation with the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, President Bush has urged that diplomatic pressure be mounted on Syria not to harbor chemical weapons. Syria’s response has been what it has been ever since the US began to turn up the heat days into the invasion of Iraq, accusing Damascus of harbouring Saddam Hussein loyalists...

Iraqi troops used "ruses" to kill U.S. troops -U.S. AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar, March 23 (Reuters) - The United States said on Sunday that Iraqi troops were using "ruses" to kill U.S. troops invading their country, on one occasion dressing as civilians to ambush them. "There were several incidents reported today in which there were types of behaviour that I can only describe as ruses that were perpetrated by the enemy," Lt.Gen. John Abizaid told a news briefing at Central Command headquarters outside Qatar. He said that in one incident an apparent surrender was followed by artillery fire. "In another...