[News] Now it is Syria and Lebanon's turn

[News at freedomarchives.org]

·       Damascus Must Give Up Its Weapons Of Mass Destruction Or Face 
Ostracism - Even If Neighbouring Israel Keeps Its Nuclear Arms

·       Pentagon Presses For U.S. Operation In Lebanon



PENTAGON PRESSES FOR U.S. OPERATION IN LEBANON

<http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/january/01_08_1.html>http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/january/01_08_1.html



WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The U.S. Defense Department is said to be mulling a 
proposal to expand special operations forces and send them to destroy 
insurgency strongholds along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

U.S. defense sources said the proposal is being examined by Defense 
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. They said the plan calls for a multi-pronged 
attack on insurgency strongholds in such countries as Lebanon and Somalia.

"The global war on terror is continuing, and it will for the foreseeable 
future," Rumsfeld, who did not cite future U.S. counter-insurgency targets, 
said on Tuesday. "As we prosecute the war, we'll need to continue to 
strengthen, improve and transform our forces; modernize and restructure 
programs and commands."

The London-based A-Sharq Al Awsat reported on Wednesday that the proposal 
submitted to Rumsfeld was the result of the secretary's decision to expand 
the U.S. war against Al Qaida and its allies. The Saudi-owned newspaper 
quoted U.S. sources as saying the first step being mulled by Rumsfeld is 
for a U.S. military attack on Al Qaida strongholds in Somalia as early as 
this month.

NOTE: The above is not the full item



Assad given weapons ultimatum
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 07/01/2004)

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$2LJXDU5ENWKMFQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2004/01/07/wsyria07.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/01/07/ixworld.html>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$2LJXDU5ENWKMFQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2004/01/07/wsyria07.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/01/07/ixworld.html

America and Britain rebuffed President Bashar Assad of Syria yesterday, 
telling him bluntly that Damascus must give up its weapons of mass 
destruction or face ostracism - even if neighbouring Israel keeps its 
nuclear arms.

"Israel is in a unique position as the only state whose very existence is 
threatened," said a senior British Government source yesterday. "There is 
no point in asking for a WMD-free Middle East while there are countries 
parading missiles with a sign up the side saying Death to Israel."

Isolated since the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Mr Assad is under strong 
pressure to follow the 
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$DSLHT0QCNH4ZDQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2003/12/24/wlibya24.xml>lead 
given by Libya's Col Muammar Gaddafi, who last month announced the 
dismantling of his secret non-conventional weapons.

But the Syrian leader 
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$DSLHT0QCNH4ZDQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2004/01/06/wsyria06.xml>told 
The Telegraph this week that he would not agree to destroy his chemical 
weapons unless Israel abandoned its undeclared nuclear arsenal, estimated 
at between 100 and 200 warheads. "Unless this applies to all countries, we 
are wasting our time," he said.

Washington and London have told Damascus that giving up its well-developed 
chemical arsenal and its embryonic biological programme agents is the price 
for better relations with America.

They say they support the idea of a Middle East free of weapons of mass 
destruction but have all but abandoned the pretence of an even-handed 
policy. They believe that "rogue" states such as Syria must disarm first, 
and, by implication, Israel will be last.

A senior western diplomatic source said: "They [the Syrians] have to make a 
decision about whether the chemical weapons will make much of a difference 
against the Israelis, or whether they would not be in a better position by 
saying, 'We're giving it up and now we want a Middle East free of weapons 
of mass destruction'.

"The pressure will rise on the Israelis as Arab states give up their 
weapons of mass destruction."

Despite the new attempt by Mr Assad to charm the West - which included a 
ground-breaking trip yesterday to Turkey, a close American ally - there is 
a growing sense of frustration with his failure to reform the country since 
taking over after his father's death in 2000.

Syria has caused particular anger by criticising the war in Iraq, hailing 
the resistance by Saddam loyalists, and failing to prevent extremists from 
crossing the border into Iraq to fight US-led forces.

Moreover, Britain believes Syria not only harbours Palestinian extremist 
groups, but is actively preventing them from agreeing to an 
Egyptian-mediated Palestinian ceasefire.


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