Washington to Syria:Hand over Saddam's WMD First (before Iraqi leaders) or face Military Action

DEBKAfile Security Newsletter ^ | April 21, 2003 12.43PM | Gioria Shamis retired Economist Magazine Reporter

[ewing]

This was Syrian President Bashir Assad's first response (pushing Saddams Son in Law over the Syrian border) to the newly delivered United States ultimatium : deliver Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and regieme leaders or face military action.

President George W. Bush noted with satisfaction that Syria was beginning 'to understand the message.'

But according to DEBKAfile's Washington, DC sources the handover of all the high ranking Iraq fugitives being sheltered in Syria will not satisfy the US Government or get it off the Assad governments back.

The US Ultimatium to Damascus consists of three demands to be followed in the same order.

First, give up the weapons of mass destruction that Saddam has secretly hidden in Syria. Second, return to Iraq all officials of the Saddam regieme granted asylum. Third, disband the command structures of Hizballah, Hamas, Jihad Islami and other Palestinian terror groups operating out of Lebanon and Damascus and give their leaders into American hands.

[ewing]

What about the ones who have escaped to France already?

[sarasota]

France will no doubt go down the same road as the Canadians: no can do.

[ewing]

Can we invade France next?

I think the UN might actually go along with that considering how much they are hated across the globe..

[dirtboy]

Debka is NOT Breaking News or Front Page News - if there were a category of Bird Cage News you could put it there, but Debka is nothing more than creative writing masquerading as news.

[George W. Bush]

DEBKA = non-news.

It should be considered a vanity.

[sarasota]

I still think Debka should be posted. It's always an interesting spin on reality.

[American Soldier]

So are my Heather Nauert fantasies, but you don't see me posting them here.

[American Soldier]

Oops, maybe I just did.

[ken5050]

Assume that Syria "complies" with the demands as stated. How would we know..how would we verify?....That's the conundrum..

[Dixiekraut]

Seems that I recall awhile back Debka reported that all the WMD/Scuds out in the western deserts were "boxed-in"by Special Ops working out of Jordan.More fiction-writing,I guess.

[cardinal4]

[Paleo Conservative]

Can we invade France next?

I think the UN might actually go along with that considering how much they are hated across the globe..

It would be easier to invade Quebec first.

[dirtboy]

It would be easier to invade Quebec first.

Yeah, with the NHL playoffs going on, everyone's gonna be drinkin' beer and watching hockey. We could send in a couple of Boy Scout troops for that job.

[Paleo Conservative]

Debka is NOT Breaking News or Front Page News - if there were a category of Bird Cage News you could put it there, but Debka is nothing more than creative writing masquerading as news.

So Debka is about as authoritative as the New York Times.

[dirtboy]

So Debka is about as authoritative as the New York Times.

Another paper treated with contempt here. Are you trying to make a point or are you just damning Debka with faint praise?

[carl in alaska]

I seriously doubt that the "third demand" discussed in this article was ever made, and I doubt that we've explicitly threatened military action. There's no need to show or play that card at this point in the game with Syria. I pity the gullible fools who believe all this Debka BS.

[ASA Vet]

[Fireone]

Alright...you can see ME posting my Heather Nauert fantasies instead!

[wideminded]

Other people on FR have commented that DEBKA is alright if you take into account that it reflects the Israeli agenda and probably has some connection to the Israeli govenment. This article appears to be the Israeli wishlist, not necessarily what has actually been asked of the Syrians.