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NB: The current US ambassador to Iraq,
Zalmay Khalilzad, has an unusually good understanding of the
country. Notably, he
alludes to Syrian training of the jihadis who go to Iraq, or at least Syrian
facilitation of their training.
That goes rather against the grain of
the current fashion in terrorism analysis, where the focus is on what people
believe, and the claim is made that the necessary knowledge can come from pretty
much anywhere, including the internet. The FAS had a most compelling riposte to a recent Washington
Post story that made that argument:
Associated Press September 12, 2005 U.S. Envoy: Syria a Terrorist Hub for Iraq By ANNE GEARAN, AP Diplomatic Writer The Bush administration's top diplomat
in Iraq said Syria has become a hub for terrorists who want to stop democratic
progress in Iraq and that U.S. "patience is running out," but he refused to
specify what consequences Damascus might face.
Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's tough talk on Syria is part of a U.S. pressure campaign in many foreign capitals and at the United Nations gathering this week in New York. "Our patience is running out, the patience of Iraqis are running out. The time for decision ... has arrived for Damascus," Khalilzad said. Speaking to reporters at the State Department, Khalilzad refused to rule out either a military strike on Syria or an attempt to further punish Syria through the United Nations Security Council. "All options are on the table," Khalilzad said. The United States claims the Baathist regime in Syria allows a free flow of foreign terrorists across its border with Iraq and turns a blind eye to terrorist training camps on its soil. Khalilzad said young, would-be terrorists are flying openly to Syria, landing unmolested at the Damascus airport on one-way tickets. "It simply is not tolerable that they, with impunity, can allow terrorists to come from other countries in the region, get training or pass through," to next-door Iraq, Khalilzad said. Khalilzad is in Washington to accompany Iraqi President Jalal Talabani as he visits the White House and meets with members of Congress. Khalilzad offered no proof of claims of Syrian interference, which he called "blatant," and gave no specifics about U.S. options to counter Syria. |
