Posted on 10/24/2004 9:09:58 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The United States is increasing its pressure against Syria to force the Arab state to stop backing anti-Israeli resistance in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, Syria's information minister said Saturday.
Mahdi Dakhlallah also told the Al-Jazeera television network that President Bush and Sen. John Kerry are battling each other to prove who is the closer ally of Israel leading up to the Nov. 2 American presidential elections.
The United States and United Nations have called on Syria to remove its troops from neighboring Lebanon. Washington has also accused Damascus of not doing enough to stop anti-coalition fighters from entering another Arab neighbor, Iraq, and supporting anti-Israeli militants, like Lebanon's Hezbollah.
"Washington wants Damascus to change its stance toward the Lebanese resistance, the Palestinian question and the just and comprehensive peace, which means ending (Israeli) occupation" of all lands captured during the 1967 Mideast war, said Dakhlallah.
The Syrian official criticized the Sept. 2 U.S.-backed U.N. Security Council resolution that called on Syria to withdraw it troops from Lebanon and disband all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, saying Lebanese resistance will stop when Israeli occupation ends.
Israel withdrew its troops from Lebanon in May 2000 but Lebanon and Syria say it is still occupying the Chebaa Farms, an area of land captured by Israel from Syria in 1967. Israel and the United Nations say the land is Syrian and the United Nations says Syria and Israel should negotiate its fate.
On Iraq, Dakhlallah said if a "superpower" like the United States was unable to secure Iraq and its borders, "How can Syria do this?"
Recent Syrian efforts to tighten its 380-mile border with Iraq last week received praise from U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
On the U.S. presidential race, the Syrian official accused Bush and Kerry of trying to win Israel's favor, saying they "are racing to please Israel in their campaigns as if it is the only sign that makes this candidate or that one succeed in the elections."
Bush and Kerry share similarities in their stance on Israel. Both candidates have praised Israel's democracy and ties to the United States. Neither opposes Israel's plans for a security barrier in the West Bank and both have assailed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Quote: BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - The United States is increasing its pressure against Syria to force the Arab state to stop backing anti-Israeli resistance in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, Syria's information minister said Saturday.
Well DAH!
Also getting more than a little pressure about "insurgents" sneaking into Iraq I bet...
Lets see, airforce and army to the east, Navy to the west, Isreal to the southwest. Yup that's pressure alright.
Grab 'em by the b@lls and pull, team, PULL!
Good, be affraid...very affraid.
This is a step which is inevitable sooner or later, a widespread recognition that nations like Syria which "support" "freedom fighters" against Israel are, to speak plainly, making war against Israel. A consistent application of Bush Doctrine would have to recognize this state of affairs sooner or later. Here's hoping sooner. This polite fiction that all these nations can discreetly wage war through terror groups and keep their hands clean and pay no price has got to stop.
My stepson (a democrap), tried telling me that Bush invaded Iraq because of the assasination plan Sadam had against Bush's father.. Otherwise, we'd have gone after Iran or N Korea first. As I explained to him, we did NOT have a war against Iraq, but that Iraq was but a front on the larger war on terror. By bringing justice to the former Iraqi regime, we now have troops right on the Iranian border, AND we have troops on 2 of Syria's borders: Iraq and Afghanistan. Syria should be very worried.
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I belong to a church whose Headquarters is in Syria, that nation is a haven for Christian killers and needs to be terminated at all cost..about every couple of years or so the Islamofascist start killing priests and monks as sport under the watchful eye of the government, who does nothing..
"Next victim please" bump.
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Best not to "humiliate" Arabs and Muslims; best to KILL THEM!
I was too young to remember 1973 war NICE GOING Tricky Dicky
Now Alouette you see why we got that dude get out there during Watergate
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