Syria Ending Cooperation With U.S., Envoy Says

The New York Times ^ | May 24, 2005 | Douglas Jehl and Thom Shanker

[Righty_McRight]

WASHINGTON, May 23 - Syria has halted military and intelligence cooperation with the United States, its ambassador to Washington said in an interview, in a sign of growing strains between the two nations over the insurgency in Iraq.

The ambassador, Imad Moustapha, said in the interview on Friday at the Syrian Embassy here that his country had, in the last 10 days, "severed all links" with the United States military and Central Intelligence Agency because of what he called unjust American allegations. The Bush administration has complained bitterly that Syria is not doing enough to halt the flow of men and money to the insurgency in Iraq.

Mr. Moustapha said he believed that the Bush administration had decided "to escalate the situation with Syria" despite steps the Syrians have taken against the insurgents in Iraq, and despite the withdrawal in recent weeks of Syrian troops from Lebanon, in response to international demands.

He said American complaints had been renewed since February, when a half-brother of Saddam Hussein, who was once the widely feared head of Iraq's two most powerful security agencies, was handed over to the Iraqi authorities after being captured in Syria along with several lieutenants. The renewal of complaints caused Syria to abandon the idea of providing further help, he said.

"We thought, why should we continue to cooperate?" he said.

Bush administration officials said Syria's stance has prompted intense debate at high levels in the administration about new steps that might be taken against the Syrian government. The officials said the options included possible military, diplomatic or economic action. But senior Pentagon and military officials cautioned Monday that if any military action was eventually ordered, it was likely to be limited to insurgent movements along the border.

[xJones]

And this will change what?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

It will make the left wing of the State Department whine.
They are good at that.

[konaice]

And this will change what?

Frees our hands is what I see. Once they end all pretense of being helpful we can start bombing the smuggeling and infiltration bases on THEIR side of the border, instead of setting ourselves up to do the goal-line stand thing fighting a strictly defensive fight.

In short I think this was monumentally foolish on their part, and I predict you will see some air to ground action within two weeks.

[bonfire]

Damn funny title!

[Southack]

"He said American complaints had been renewed since February, when a half-brother of Saddam Hussein, who was once the widely feared head of Iraq's two most powerful security agencies, was handed over to the Iraqi authorities after being captured in Syria..."

Ah gee whiz, the NY Times forgot to mention that it was Syrian Kurds...the freaking anti-Assad RESISTANCE MOVEMENT inside Syria...who handed over Hussein's half-brother after they caught him approaching the Iraq border.

[relee]

Bombs away!

[Americanexpat]

I'd like to have seen the Syrian reaction when all those terrorist from Al Quaim came haulin ass back across the border with the Marines on their tails.

[Stormcrow]

Heh.

To mangle a phrase: With cooperation like this, who needs obstruction?

[angkor]

Wasn't that the allegedly "failed" Op Matador (according to the WashPost)?

The op where we killed upwards of 100 Syrian terrorist mercenaries and captured several hundred more?

[Eagles6]

They are going to stop at the border, right? Please tell us they are going to stop at the border!

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[Americanexpat]

Yep, can you imagine the look on their faces as these armed terrorists which Syria disavows all knowledge of swarming the gates? How do you say WTF in Arabic?

[angkor]

I'm not gonna' pick through this entire Slimes "news" report, but did they bother to note that this "Syrian initiated" whinefest comes only two weeks after the Marines kicked Syrian butt at the border?

Did the Slimes use any of its super secret anonymous "inside sources" to deduce that the couple hundred captured Syrian terrorists might have disclosed, uh, "sensitive" information about the integral involvement of the Syrian government in murdering innocent Iraqi citizens? And that "the CIA" (whomever that might really be) properly might have pounded the bejeezus out of the Syrians about this new information?

Or did the Slimes deign to mention the growing demand of Iraqi politicians that Syria put a halt to the murderers and plotters coming across its border to murder Iraqi citizens?

No?

I didn't think so.

The Slimes must be getting its "news" from the Syrian Consulate press office in NYC.

[jonrick46]

Syria had better change their tune fast. They have been looking like Cambodia looked to us during the Viet Nam War. They cannot serve as a santuary for the insurgency and this role had better stop or we will stop it the hard way: B-1s ready for take off boys!

[Valin]

I'll get back to you on that....don't hold dinner waiting.

[Jabba the Nutt]

"Syrian Cooperation" = oxymoron.

[SuziQ]

ENDING cooperation? When did it ever BEGIN?

[xJones]

I'll get back to you on that....don't hold dinner waiting.

That's what you say every night, you cheatin' dog! I remember the night I cooked............oh, wait a minute, we were talking about Syria.:)

[BJClinton]

...anti-Assad RESISTANCE MOVEMENT inside Syria...who handed over Hussein's half-brother...

Didn't know that, that's why I love FR.

So here's a scenario:
We get intel of training/deployment bases inside Syria.
We hit 'em a la Reagan and Lybia.
Syria's air force attempt to take on our air force and enter Iraqi airspace.
We shoot down every man made flying object over Syria, crater every runway, flatten every hanger and cave in every bunker.
Without air-superiority the Kurds are more evenly matched against Syria, especially if some Saddam-era Iraqi equipment makes it into their hands.

Just wild speculation, of course.