Syria not learnt lessons of Iraq: US

[floda]

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP): A top American official on Friday accused Syria, which has had US sanctions imposed against it, of failing to learn from the lessons in Iraq and become a positive player in the Middle East. Richard Armitage, the US deputy secretary of state, said the Bush administration is studying Damascus' response to sanctions imposed in May, and warned that stricter sanctions could follow. "We have the ability to go to stage two, which will be a more draconian sanctions regime," Armitage said in an exclusive interview with the Lebanese Al Hayat-LBC satellite station. "But that decision hasn't been made."

The United States imposed trade sanctions on Syria through the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act on grounds that the Arab state was allegedly supporting terrorism. Washington also claims Syria is undermining US-led coalition efforts to stabilize neighboring Iraq and pursuing weapons of mass destruction, charges that Syria denies. The sanctions law allows Washington to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions if Damascus does not comply. Armitage said Friday that Syria hasn't "made any fundamental decisions to (becoming) a much more positive player in the region."




"I don't think they fully learnt the lessons of Iraq and the termination of that Baathist player, so I think they still have some internal discussions ... to go through," he said without elaborating. The ruling Baath Party in Syria, which strongly opposed the US-led war on Iraq, broke ranks with the Iraqi Baath Party in 1966 amid political infighting over party principles and issues of Arab unity. Armitage also urged Syria to withdraw its troops from neighboring Lebanon, where thousands of Syrian soldiers have been based since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war. "The Lebanese civil war has been over for well over a decade and it seems to me - this is our strong view - that it's time for Lebanese forces to take charge of their entire country and Syrian forces to move themselves back to Syria," he said. Syria is Lebanon's main power broker and currently has 20,000 soldiers in Lebanon.



http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/world/Viewdet.asp?ID=3040&cat=a

[number6]

1. U.S not learnt lessons of Vietnam: Syria

.

[indepat]

2. Bravo: sorrowfully, almost all policy statements uttered by Administra-

tion officials are wrought with inconsistencies, absurdities, double-speak, or oxymoronic implications or are outright duplicitous or disingenuous on the face.

[wtmusic]

6. or: US not learnt lessons of Iraq n/t

[bahrbearian]

3. They even admit to being Draconian

"We have the ability to go to stage two, which will be a more draconian sanctions regime,"

[Minstrel Boy]

16. The BFEE draco:

[bpilgrim]

4. what? that even the worlds mightiest military CAN'T WIN a guerrilla war?

we are becomming the laughing stock of the world.

Multiple (10) Explosions Hit Central Baghdad

A series of at least 10 explosions echoed throughout central Baghdad on Saturday night. Their cause was not immediately apparent.

The blasts appeared to be targeting the fortified Green Zone enclave that houses the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi interim government buildings. An air raid siren sounded from the enclave soon after the explosions began. ..
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,128330,00.html

peace

[killbotfactory]

5. Lesson: We will cripple you with sanctions then invade

Even if you're not doing anything wrong.

Teeheehee.

[HawkerHurricane]

7. The Lesson of Iraq:

Make out your campaign checks to the RNC. Don't attack another country that is also making out checks to the RNC unless you wish to take up their share of the 'protection' money.

Oh, yeah, don't let it slip that you are working on nukes until you have them.

[anarchy1999]

8. One name..... "Armitage".......... Answers are all there, just see PNAC.

n/t

[saigon68]

13. ..... "Armitage".........== THUG, HOODLUM, WAR CRIMINAL

A man who lines his Pockets with the taxpayer's money.

[amber dog democrat]

9. and neither has the US evidently.

In a way I hope Syria calls our bluff. We are way too overextended militarily as it is and the Iraq was is as good as lost already.

[aneerkoinos]

10. Syria is calling the bluff

US sanctions are pretty meaningless because they are just US sanctions alone and US trade with Syra was insignificant. EU has friendly relationships with Syria, which is one of EU's Mediterranean partners with deepening economic and political ties.

Also, when US fails in Iraq and becomes weaker, that means that also Israel becomes weaker and returning Golan becomes more likely. Syria is winning this.

[amber dog democrat]

11. All we'll have left are nuclear weapons.

All Syria has to do is ignore and wait us out.

[Disturbed]

12. The Neo Fascists...

underestimated the Iraqi's will for self-determination and anti-colonial fervor.

Most Americans don't know what Imperialism means. Iraqis know what Imperialism means, first hand, up close and personal.

Full Sovereignty?

"Throughout the spring, as hundreds died in the spiraling conflict, as Regime bosses applied their hardcore "anti-terrorist" tortures to innocent bystanders raked up in their occupation nets, as Regime mouthpieces prated endlessly of "liberation" and "sovereignty," Bush viceroy Paul Bremer was quietly signing a series of edicts that will give the United States effective control over the military, ministries -- and money -- of any Iraqi government, for years to come, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Bremer has placed U.S.-appointed "commissions" made up of Americans and local puppets throughout Iraqi government agencies; the ministers supposedly in charge weren't even told of the edicts. These boards "will serve multiyear terms and have significant authority to run criminal investigations, award contracts, direct troops and subpoena citizens," the Journal reports. Any new Iraqi government "will have little control over its armed forces, lack the ability to make or change laws and be unable to make major decisions within specific ministries without tacit U.S. approval, say U.S. officials.


Earlier Bremer edicts laid the Iraqi economy wide open to ruthless exploitation by Bush-approved foreign "investors"; dominance of such key sectors as banking, communications -- and energy -- is already well advanced. The latest dictates aim to ensure that this organized looting goes on, no matter what kind of makeshift "interim government" the United Nations manage to piece together. Bush's plans to build a Saddamite fortress embassy in Baghdad and 14 permanent military bases around the country are designed to provide the knee-breaking "security" for these lucrative arrangements."



http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/05/21/120.html

[amber dog democrat]

14. that is asuming the US can not be militarily defeated.

I think we have lost this war already. The Chimp administration is not smart enough to realize it yet. As this insurrection gains stregnth it may well come to resemble Mogadishu, Somalia respective of the US and provisional Iraqi forces go.

There is a limit to how much we are going to be able to take before this mis adventure is shut down, we bug out declaring peace with honor, and new monuments go up on the Washington Malls. Its just a matter of time. Kind of reminds me of Vietnam.

[Gyre]

15. Both Syria and Iran are in for heavy weather

if bush gets reelected. The Constitution will also be victimized but people are waking up (and faster than they did re: Vietnam). Only a matter of time until these carpetbaggers self-destruct.:)

Gyre

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Yep, we're gonna fix their little red wagon yet

Nice little country there; wouldn't want to see it burned to the ground, would ya?

[Tight_rope]

18. Well spill my sippy cup...The US will have to slap their hand again!

[Kool Kitty]

19. You are too funny!

You made me laugh out loud and I scared the cat. I wish that someone would tell our fearless leader that you can only make one mess at a time.

Georgie, you have to finish playing with Iraq before you start playing with Syria. And how do they propose dealing with Syria?