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Posted on 04/08/2003 6:55:55 PM PDT by Axion
U.S.-Syria Relations: Back-Channel Talks Cease Dialogue between Syria and the United States has ceased: U.S. and Syrian intelligence officials, who had cultivated closer ties following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, no longer have any contact, a Syrian government source told Stratfor on April 7.
Apr 08, 2003 - 1704 GMT
It is unclear what led to this state of affairs. But according to Syrian officials, the government in Damascus says that this is the doing of Israel and pro-Israeli factions within the Bush administration. The regime fears Washington is seeking to put the country on its hit list following the war in Iraq.
The lack of dialogue will create uncertainty that nurtures Syria's fear of U.S. intentions -- which in turn could trigger hostile maneuvers by Damascus.
High-level Syrian and U.S. officials have had no public contact since the outbreak of war in Iraq, with one exception: The Syrian government summoned the U.S. and British ambassadors in March following accusations that Damascus was backing Iraqi forces. There are other indicators of trouble in ties between the two countries as well. In early April, Stratfor sources confirmed reports that the United States has cut off oil supplies to Syria, and other Syrian sources say they were ordered by their government to try to open dialogue with officials in Washington -- only to be rebuffed.
During a March 30 speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israeli lobby group, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell warned Damascus to stop backing militant groups and possibly aiding Iraq. Afterward, Syrian government officials say, Damascus asked for a dialogue with Washington on intelligence matters but was flatly rejected.
Damascus allegedly has intelligence from European countries that the United States has no evidence of Syrian support for the Iraqi regime. A source within the British intelligence community told Stratfor that officials in London also think Washington has no evidence of Syrian complicity with Iraq -- and Downing Street has tried to convince the Bush administration to reopen a dialogue with Damascus.
Might it have been the JUICE?
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It's obvious that they would have no other place to go run and hide. Even some of Saddam's family is rumored to be hiding in Syria.
DUH.
This is the same "group" that is reporting that Condi Rice has negotiated with Putin for Saddam to surrender.
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