"U.S. questions Assad's control in Syria"

[TexasLawyer]

We're out there spreading liberty again. Condi and Wolfi both making the Middle Eastern rounds.

From the Daily Star (Lebanon)

U.S. questions Assad's control in Syria

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Saturday, February 05, 2005


U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said Syria's attitude toward Iraq casts doubt on whether President Bashar Assad is really in charge in Damascus.

In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Wolfowitz said: "There's some argument as to whether President Assad is fully in control in Syria or not. But we do know this is a police state and somebody's in control and we have a list of, sort of, who the top 12 leaders are. They all have some accountability here."

Wolfowitz went on to warn "whoever is in charge," that "there is going to be a successful Iraq. It's in your interests to be on friendly terms with that successful Iraq. We notice what you're doing."

Asked what the Americans can do besides talk to make Syria keep terrorists from using its territory as a springboard for joining the Iraqi resistance, Wolfowitz said: "Let's be clear. I don't think it has anything to do with our capacity being limited. I mean, we're not looking to end this behavior with another war, but I think there are many things that, I mean, Syria is not a strong country."

During his State of the Union address on Wednesday President George W. Bush said the United States would "confront" governments that interfere with U.S. efforts "to promote peace in the broader Middle East."

<snip}

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=12416

[louis-t]

1. Condi and Wolfie are doing recon

so's they can figger out who to attack next.

[The Stranger]

2. Why doesn't Paul Wolfowitz just let Ariel Sharon come and sit

next to him while he testifies before Congress? That way he won't forget to include anything.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

3. The strategy is starting to shape up

Syria can't start anything. The Palestinians and Israelis are talking. Syria has pulled out of the Bekaa Valley. They have no allies around them. They are for the most part secular.

If you can't openly go after Iran, go after Syria to destabilize Iran. If Syria falls, then Iran has no friendlies around it, with pseudo-democracies on either side.

Interesting possibility, though it leaves alot to speculation that anyone in this administration could have thought it up. Stumbling into it is more the scenario.

DBDB

[JAbuchan08]

4. My first thought was, maybe they use Iraq as a proxy to

attack Syria the first chance they get. Of course that would cause the highly informed and aware American people to see through the charade of a "free and independent" Iraq... .... or not.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. 49 million Americans vehemently questioned shrub's control in America,

so... what else is new.....

[leesa]

6. This is so sad. They go around threatening everybody and just no

one gives a shit anymore. It's so sad when a superpower falls to earth.