Sojourner553

The next war is already starting ...

"Syria could be next, warns Washington "



Ed Vulliamy in Washington
Sunday April 13, 2003
The Observer

The United States has pledged to tackle the Syrian-backed Hizbollah group in the next phase of its 'war on terror' in a move which could threaten military action against President Bashar Assad's regime in Damascus.
The move is part of Washington's efforts to persuade Israel to support a new peace settlement with the Palestinians. Washington has promised Israel that it will take 'all effective action' to cut off Syria's support for Hizbollah - implying a military strike if necessary, sources in the Bush administration have told The Observer

http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/stor...935961,00.html

Farren

I'd like to see anyone argue that there's no case for non-violent reform here. Some background:

Cautious reform in Syria

but I'm sure the Emperor George can manufacture a few massive human rights violations, credible evidence of a nuclear weapons program and some clear and present threats to US security. Then hi ho, hi ho, its off to war we go, some collaterals here a reporter there hi ho, hi ho, hi ho, hi ho

Henry-Finland

I do not have a map, but is not thgis Damaskus in Syria?
Anyhow I heard that some guy visited Damaskus, and visited a hospital...
I will check it out, but I think we have found the reason...

Henry

Zadok001

Can I see a show of hands from those who didn't see this coming? I wonder how long we'll have before Bush decides that diplomacy doesn't work again...

Happy Wonderer

Isn't this WMD thing great? Whenver we don't find WMDs we just claim that the bad guy gave them to the next enemy on our list before expiring. Kind of like a T.V. serial.

hw

Dr Rick

They've already been "manufactured" by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the United Nations which have documented, extrajudicial executions, torture, inhumane prison conditions, and "disappearances." Bashar al-Asad's government and the ruling Arab Ba'th Socialist Party did release several hundred political prisoners and relax some press restrictions in 2000, but initiated a new round of oppression in 2001 with the arrests of political activists, new press restrictions, and restrictions on assembly.

The fate of many Lebanese nationals illegally arrested and transported to Syria over the years remains unknown.

Syria is one of the seven countries on the U.S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism. The most recent State Department Global Terrorism report charged that Syria continues "to provide safe haven and support to several terrorist groups, some of which maintained training camps or other facilities on Syrian territory" including Hizballah, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Fatah-the-Intifada, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and Hamas. Some of these terrorist groups have offices in Damascus and have been provided weapons and logistical support through Syria to carry out attacks upon civilians in Israel and Lebannon.

Rick

Sauron

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented similar atrocities in Israel. Ya think Dubya & Co. are gonna go after them?


And Israel was on that same State Dept Report of human rights violators. Again: ya think we're gonna go after Israel?

Dr Rick

No

The Report from the State Department referenced above was on Global Terrorism; Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Cuba, North Korea, and Sudan continue to be the seven governments that the US State Department has designated as state sponsors of international terrorism. Israel has never been on that list.

Sakpo

While I can't speak for Rick, I don't think he was arguing in favour of attacking Syria. I certainly didn't get that from his posts. He's merely stating that, whatever your position on going to war against such countries, their disgusting abuses of human rights should not be ignored or downplayed.

Even take this quote:

It doesn't necessarily imply Dr Rick doesn't think Israel engages in or supports terrorist (he may think that, he may not, I don't know). It simply outlines the State Department's apparent stance on the issue.

Sauron

Wonder why not?
http://www.hrw.org/press/2001/07/traffick-0712.htm

The State Dept document (surprise, surprise) is a meaningless piece of paper that simply reinforces what the current administration's foreign policy is - how could it possibly do otherwise? It has no probitive weight in objectively determining who is, or is not, a state sponsor of terrorism. From an objective standpoint, Israel belongs on that list. So do several of our "allies", such as Pakistan.

Oh, and let's not forget China - who also made the State Dept list, but are not going to be rebuked for their abysmal record:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/...in548860.shtml

More info on Israel's human rights abuses, and their position on the State Dept's human rights report:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/...in547072.shtml

On Israel, the report said the country's overall human rights record in the occupied territories remained poor, and worsened in several areas as it continued to commit "numerous, serious human rights abuses."

"Security forces killed at least 990 Palestinians and two foreign nationals and injured 4,382 Palestinians and other persons during the year, including innocent bystanders," the report said.

It said Israeli security forces targeted and killed at least 37 Palestinian terror suspects.