Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Israel must give up nukes

[donsu]

before the Arab states can give up their programs.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/syria/?id=8546

-snip-

"What the United States is requesting is not logically acceptable," Assad told the pan-Arab al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper.

"It is not possible to ask Arab and Muslim states, where there is no proof that they possess such weapons, to allow inspections of their installations but ignore the Israeli arsenal of weapons of mass destruction," he said in response to a question about US accusations that Syria possesses such arms.

"If they (the Americans) were really serious, let the entire region be free" of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), he said.

-snip-

But Assad said: "We have been calling from the start for the removal of all weapons of mass destruction from the region. We presented this in an initiative eight months ago.
-snip-
------------------------

I agree.

(the word 'logic' is a concept foreign to the bushgang.)

[aquart]

1. Yeah, Bush is a great protector of Israel.

Let's leave them naked to their enemies.

He isn't asking Syria and the other arab states to disarm to protect Israel or anyone else. He's doing it so it's safe to invade them.

As it will be safe for them to invade Israel if Israel disarms.

Thanks for bringing up the subject, George.

We're all much safer now.

[mmm]

2. Tell Sharon: hand over the nukes or no more money

Once he discovered the US wasn't kidding he would hand over those nukes so fast his head would spin off.

[Muddleoftheroad]

4. Never again

The only thing that prevents Israel's eventual destruction is its ability to ensure no enemies would survive such an attempt.

Alliances change, so there is no guarantee of perpetual American support. The UN is clearly unable to handle any military undertaking and it is aswarm with nations that hate Israel.

As for your comment, it smacks of a stereotype I would rather not see on DU.

[donsu]

6. the US should give WMD up too

nt

[Zero Gravitas]

8. Same goes for Syria and Iran etc.

The only thing that would stop a foreign power invading would be the deterence of nuclear weapons. So you are for MAD in the Middle East? Wonderful idea.

[Trajan]

14. Explain the stereotype ...

WHY is every Anti Sharon comment interpreted as a racial insult ? ...

----------------------

mmm (1000+ posts) Mon Jan-19-04 09:39 AM
Response to Original message

2. Tell Sharon: hand over the nukes or no more money


Once he discovered the US wasn't kidding he would hand over those nukes so fast his head would spin off.

----------------------

Show the stereotype ...

[truth2power]

18. How does saying that Sharon should hand over his nukes

smack of a stereotype we're not allowed to use here? I don't see any generalization in that statement. Just an opinion, if you will, that other ME countries might feel threatened that Israel's nukes are pointed at them.

[Jim Sagle]

5. Sharon would tell us to shove our money.

[forgethell]

7. As he should

n/t

[SlavesandBulldozers]

3. Basher

was later overhead telling the Israeli's to "freeze hell while they are at it".

[Loonman]

9. Assad is a punk, but he's not stupid

Every country that is asked to disarm or "come clean" is going to demand that Israel do so first.

[solinvictus]

10. Israeli submarines

The Israelis are working on nuclear submarines as well.

[Zolok]

11. The Arabs could get this issue on the front-burner

if perchance they ever extended diplomatic recognition to Israel...which of course they do not.
That and their fifty-odd year old boycott of all things Israeli is not gonna get them any disarmament any time soon.
If they had accredited ambassadors on the ground they could press for confidence building measures, arms control treaties....all sorts of stuff.
I don't think they even want Israeli nuclear disarmement at this point...
Frankly if I was the Israeli PM I'd announce the issue is non-negotiable until the Arabs recognize Israel and the boycott is dropped.
Although, I think all this nuclear ambiguity has been maxed out long ago...in the interrim they could easily sign the NPT as a Nuclear Weapons State and wait for cooler heads to prevail.

[evil_orange_cat]

12. you guys do realize Israel is A DEMOCRACY... a free society...

and these other Arab states are mostly repressive and authoritarian regimes hostile to anything that isn't Islam?

just curious...

I'm all for fairness, but Israel (a democracy and free society) is facing total annihilation from hostile, oppressive forces.

[donsu]

13. are you saying that if Israel stopped occupying Palestine and gave up

nukes the Arab states would annihilate Israel?

or are you saying that if Israel kept occupying Palestine and gave up nukes then all the Arab states would annihilate them?

[stopthegop]

15. given the ability and opportunity the Arab states

would destroy Israel...the Arab states currenlty have neither...recall the PLO was founded prior to the 1967 war..before there were occupied territories to 'liberate'

[K8-EEE]

16. I Just Don't Understand

This policy of "everyone must disarm except for us!"

(the US and Israel)

I don't know HOW everybody else is supposed to go along with it, especially since we now have a madman in charge who loves to push all the buttons.

[stopthegop]

17. in this case (Israel)...

it's a question of whether you consider Israel to be a responsible gov't, and whether you consider the Arab states to be responsible gov'ts...many people answer those questions yes...and no...

on edit: notice there are no serious calls for Britian to scrap it's nukes...it's a serious country...where as Pakistan and India make people nervous, but less than Syria would...