Syria Takes a Stand,
(Wall Street Journal today):
<For the second time in a matter of days, meanwhile, a top U.S. official also singled out Iraq's western neighbor, Syria, for aiding Mr. Hussein and warned the country, which the U.S. has long accused of sponsoring terrorism, to keep out of the conflict, suggesting it would otherwise face grave consequences. The Syrian Foreign Ministry also accused Washington of catering to Israeli interests in the Middle East.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said "Syria now faces a critical choice" of whether to "continue its direct support for terrorism in the dying days" of Mr. Hussein's government. "Syria bears responsibility for its choices and consequences," he said.
Syria, which has denied charges of aiding Iraq, responded on Monday by declaring the U.S.-led invasion as "illegitimate and unjustified."
"It is clear from [Mr. Powell's] speech that he was submitting a report on his latest achievements which confirm that what the U.S. administration is doing in our region serves Israel and its interests and pleases [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon," a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday. "By doing that, the employees of this [U.S.] administration get a report for good behavior from Israel," the spokesman added in a statement.
"Syria has chosen to be with international legality represented by the United Nations Security Council," the statement said. "Syria has also chosen to stand by the Iraqi people who are facing an illegitimate and unjustified invasion."
Mr. Powell made the remarks in a speech at the 44th annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group.>
online.wsj.com
my comments:
I continue to be dismayed at the total insensitivity of this Administration, to Arab concerns. They seem to have no clue about the effect of their words and actions, on the Arab street. Even if someone accepts the NeoCon agenda 100%, what Powell did was wrong. Not so much what he said, as where he said it. That was the worst possible forum, for saying those words. The worst, bar none. Most of the Arab world, and increasingly Europeans as well, are convinced this war is an American-Israeli alliance to conquer the Arab heartland. Powell is doing and saying exactly what Bin Laden wants him to do, giving the Islamists their recruiting material. |
