Syria Threatens US with Military Retaliation

Post-9/11 Era Forum

Syria's UN Ambassador said that Syria will retaliate if U.S. forces attack.
The heated rhetoric came late Friday after Defense Secretary warned Syria to desist from aiding Iraq.

"I have seen photos of arms and military supplies crossing the border from Syria into Iraq," Rumsfeld said to reporters at the Pentagon.

"If this does not stop we will consider it hostile," Rumsfeld said.

Reports suggest that Damascus has been secretly smuggling fresh arms and ammunition, and items such as night vision googles, to beseiged Iraqi troops.

Responding to Rumsfeld's claims, Syria's UN ambassador Mikhail Wehbe had a terse reaction as he left a meeting of the Security Council Friday night.

"We believe that these accusations are a mark of failure of the US/British invasion of Iraq," Wehbe said.

"And, because of the failure (Rumsfeld) is trying unfortunately to mislead the American people with making these accusations. In particular to Syria at this stage, to cover their killing of innocents and civilians in the hundreds in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul and everywhere else."

Wehbe also warned the Pentagon that if the US military decides to move against Syria, Damascus will respond with military force. He said Syria is prepared "to react in kind."

Suspicious Activities

In recent days a number of suspicious activities have surfaced around Damascus, the Syrian capital.

Last Sunday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri slipped past coalition troops in northern Iraq to surface in Damascus on his way to an Arab summit in Cairo.

After the Cairo summit, Sabri returned to Damascus only to again pop up in Baghdad, shortly thereafter.

"It sure has us stumped, we don't know what's going on and how he (Sabri) is moving in and out of the country," confided one State Dept. official who requested anonymity.

Israel has also warned that Syria has chemical and biological weapons programs similar to those previously found in Iraq, currently in operation.

Recently, Jerusalem accused Damascus of housing a number of secret weapons which the government of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein moved out of the country in advance of the return of UN arms inspectors last December.

Syria has strongly denied the Israeli charges.

Source: Newsmax

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As a concern citizen who voted for Bush, I am very confident on the team he has assembled. But one would be crazy to not think of the worst case scenario. To me, it seems this is part of a long term plan to help the USA to stabilize the region. It’s a great staging area to launch against Iran if indeed they have Nukes. With Afghanistan under our help, we could create two fronts to take out Iran. Then, if Syria wanted to flex its muscles, we could easily defeat what ever they threw at us. But unfortunately I do believe if we are not careful, we could start WWIII. If we stir up the hornets nest in that region, then what would stop North Korea from taking South and China to push to take Taiwan.

I pray that our leaders are using our might for right because if not, it the could be the beginning of a new revolt with our own society.

Carefully worded just so Syria could totally misinterpret it.

What he is saying is the vehicles in Iraq will be treated as combat targets and destroyed, and perhaps further action in some form from the US, most likely sanctions and pressure like that. I doubt we would go into another conflict after Iraq for a while.