----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Tefft" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Bruce Tefft" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 1:58 PM Subject: [osint] Syria's defense of U.S. embassy doesn't make it an ally in terror war
> > Especially when they were behind the attack in the first place. > > Bruce > > > http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/all-editorial1sep14,0,2607835.story?coll=a > ll-opiniontop-hed > > > Syria's defense of U.S. embassy doesn't make it an ally in terror war > > When does a foe become a friend? What do terrorist attacks against > Americans > in another country say about the war on terrorism? What do those attacks > say > about the efficacy of our foreign policy in the Middle East? > > The foiled terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy in Damascus, Syria, raised > all these questions. A small band of Islamic militants linked to an > al-Qaida > splinter group assaulted the embassy Tuesday with hand grenades, automatic > weapons and a truck bomb. Syrian guards shot and killed three of the > attackers immediately. The driver of the truck bomb, which never > detonated, > died of gunshot wounds he received when he tried to flee. None of the > Americans at the embassy were wounded. > The Bush administration was in the unusual position of thanking a > government > it often criticizes for its own destabilizing influence. ''I do think that > the Syrians reacted to this attack in a way that helped secure our people, > and we very much appreciate that,'' said Secretary of State Condoleezza > Rice. White House spokesman Tony Snow offered Syria an invitation ''to > become an ally'' in the war on terrorism as Libya has rather than > ''harboring'' and ''fomenting'' terrorists and terrorism. > > You might call that opening the door a crack with considerable caution. > Historically, U.S. officials have branded Syria as a sponsor of terrorism > and a proven enemy of Israel. For years the Syrians controlled affairs in > Lebanon, treating it almost as a puppet state until they were implicated > in > the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. > More recently, it was accused of helping arm Hezbollah in southern Lebanon > in Hezbollah's fight with Israel. > > Rather than accept the White House's backhanded invitation, the Syrian > government responded that it only did its duty under the Geneva > Convention, > adding the U.S. would do well to consider the ''root causes of terrorism > and > broker a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.'' Meanwhile, U.N. > Secretary > General Kofi Annan, on a tour of 10 of the region's capitals, including > Damascus, said the area's leaders consider the U.S. involvement in Iraq > and > Afghanistan ''a disaster.'' Why? Because the unrest it has caused > threatens > some of their regimes. Some of these nations are U.S. allies in the > so-called war on terror - Egypt, Turkey and Jordan. All have secular > governments. Some come closer to being democratic than others. Some, like > Syria, have reason to be concerned about discontented populations unhappy > about how their governments treat them. > > One event doesn't make Syria a friend. And those who say terrorist attacks > there, rather than here, are an indication that we're doing better in the > war on terror can't deny the attacks are still happening. As far as > whether > U.S. policies in the Middle East are working? Well, the region has been in > turmoil a long time and there's still no lasting peace and none in sight. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > -------------------------- > Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > -------------------------- > Brooks Isoldi, editor > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://www.intellnet.org > > Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com > Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use > has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a > part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to > OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving > the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of > intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, > techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other > intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational > purposes only. 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