Pravda: "There are many alarming signals about the future war [US against Syria]. For example, Israel is considering the option of bombing some objects in Syria if the information of Syria"s financing HAMAS is confirmed... It is hard to name the reasons why Americans need a new war in the Middle East. Probably, Pentagon and the US Department of State believe that weakening Syria somehow will allow the US to establish more order in Iraq. George Bush could turn to the old traditional American technology of a "small victorious war" to improve his position on the eve of the US Presidential elections. The USA is unlikely to occupy Syria - the country has not sufficient funds even for supporting its troops in Iraq, and the US military budget will not tolerate extra military expenditures. The USA will probably pursue the Yugoslavian scenario - endless bombings until Syria will replace its leaders and surrender."

BBC: "The US has imposed economic sanctions on Syria after long accusing the Arab state of supporting terror and failing to stop militants entering Iraq. Bush ordered a freeze on certain Syrian assets in the US and a halt to all American exports apart from humanitarian items. He accused Syria of continuing to occupy Lebanon and pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missiles. Syria has denied wrongdoing and says sanctions will only harm US interests. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari said the sanctions were 'unjust and unjustified'. [Syrian media advisor] Ahmed Haj Ali, that the sanctions would have little economic impact but 'much bigger' political effects. Raymond Elias, a Syrian businessman who deals in pumps and generators says he thought that many US firms would ignore the sanctions. 'Maybe some... may bend to the [Bush] administration but many others at the end will be looking after their own interests.' "

The larger-than-life statue of the late president, Hafez al-Assad, stands hidden beneath a blue and red striped tarpaulin, which residents say hides the fact that antigovernment protesters knocked off its head... Antigovernment protests are extremely uncommon in Syria, where grim memories of thousands of Islamic militants mowed down by government troops in the early 1980's. But grievances simmering -- over their difficulties in obtaining citizenship, the ban on their language, their poverty amid rich farmland -- finally boiled over in the last few weeks. Kurdish Syrians, 2 million of Syria's 17 million people, say that watching rights for Kurds being enshrined in a new if temporary constitution next door in Iraq finally pushed them to take to the streets... local officials all suggest that the Kurds were motivated by infiltrators from Iraq. 'They came from outside the country, from the east, and they have been paid in U.S. dollars supplied by Bremer and his gang,' said Ahmed al-Salah."

"Syrian military troops and police have arrested hundreds of Kurds suspected of being involved in the anti-regime riots in cities throughout Syria over the weekend...Syrian officials have accused the United States of fomenting the Kurdish riots. They said the Kurds, who raised U.S. flags during anti-regime demonstrations, were connected to the U.S.-aligned Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. The unrest was termed as the worst in Syria since the Islamic insurgency against Damascus in the early 1980s."

Haaretz reports: "The Bush administration plans to impose sanctions on Syria within weeks for its support of terrorist groups and for failing to stop guerrillas entering Iraq, congressional officials and other sources familiar with the matter said on Friday." What's wrong with this picture? First, guerillas are entering Iraq from Kuwait, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Jordan - not just Syria. But Syria is the shortest oil route from Iraq to the Mediterranean. Second, Bush's concentration of manpower at oil fields instead of borders is what is encouraging the entry of new militants. Second, threatening Syria with sanctions comes shortly after Bush LIFTED sanctions against Libya, a nation with a far worse record of human rights abuses and terrorist activity than Syria. As ever, all that motivates Bush is self-interest and corporate interest, which, of course, are usually synonymous.

Janes.com: "Rumsfeld is considering plans to expand the global war on terrorism with multi-pronged attacks against suspected militant bases in countries such as Lebanon and Somalia. In a week in which Israel launched airstrikes against Hizbullah positions, our regional correspondent reports from Beirut. Sending US troops into lawless Somalia would not be new, nor is it likely to cause serious diplomatic waves... However, sending US special forces into Lebanon - and in particular an area like the Bekaa Valley... where the bulk of Damascus' military forces in Lebanon are deployed - would be an entirely different matter. Deployment of US forces in the area would almost certainly involve a confrontation with Syrian troops... The US administration has long considered Damascus as a prime candidate for 'regime-change'... Washington may feel that the time is coming to oust Bashir Al-Assad." Bush is behind in the polls - so it's time to WAG THE DOG with a NEW WAR! Impeach Bush Now!

"Syria brushed aside Sunday U.S. accusations that it has Iraqi weapons of mass destruction as a cover story for what it called U.S. failure in Iraq. 'This (allegation) is meant to mislead (the public opinion). So long as there were no weapons of mass destruction (found) in Iraq itself how can they be in Syria?' [said] Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan... [Sen.] Pat Roberts said... there was some concern Iraqi weapons of mass destruction had gone to Syria. David Kay, the leader of the U.S. team in charge of the search for banned weapons in Iraq who resigned Friday, told Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper that he had uncovered evidence that unspecified materials had been moved to Syria shortly before the war to overthrow Saddam Hussein." OK, let's invade Syria...Damn, they're not in Syria -- we just know they were moved to Iran...Crap! We took over Iran, scoured the countryside -- they must be in Saudi Arabia...Wait, Poppy and his Carlyle Group pals will never go for that...

On Jan. 21, Colin Powell stated to a reporter that there is "no hard evidence" to suggest that Iraqi stocks of weapons of mass destruction were hidden in neighboring Syria before the U.S. and coalition forces attacked last year." He's telling the truth, but it is also likely that Powell is doing the bidding of the Eastern Establishment (the Carlyle Group/Bush Sr./James Baker faction). On the other side of the fence are the NeoCon's that will lie their way to invade Syria, Iran... There is a serious power struggle between the Arab-friendly Carlyle Group/Eastern Establishment, with their business ties to the Saudis, and the NeoCons, that are aligned with the Likud. After Baghdad was taken, there was talk of Syria being next on the list. Former Bush Sr. Sec. of State Lawrence Eagleburger was on a show, and he said that if Bush Jr. went on to Syria, he would be impeached in 15 minutes. Eagleburger is a member of Kissinger Assoc. -- which is in the same claque as the Carlyle Group.

Ian Williams writes: "The [Syria] Accountability Act [passed by the House] and a host of statements from the usual suspects in the administration, invoke every spurious reason for action against Damascus that led to the current quicksand in Baghdad. Support for terrorism, possession of weapons of mass destruction, and indeed harboring Iraqi Ba'athists and the missing weapons... The warnings began immediately after the Iraq invasion--but have now resumed. In May, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton alleged, 'The United States also knows that Syria has long had a chemical warfare program. It has a stockpile of the nerve agent sarin and is engaged in research and development of the more toxic and persistent nerve agent VX. Syria... is pursuing the development of biological weapons and is able to produce at least small amounts of biological warfare agents.'"

One we almost missed! From Reuters: "The Bush administration said... it had no evidence that any of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction had been hidden in neighboring Syria. In an interview with WTVT-TV in Tampa, Florida, White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice defended prewar intelligence on Iraq that Washington used to justify the invasion. Despite U.S. assertions that Saddam Hussein had chemical and biological arms, none has been found... U.S. team hunting for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was investigating multiple reports from Iraqis that banned weapons or weapons-related substances were moved across borders into Syria, Iran, and Jordan. 'I've seen reports, as everyone has,' Rice said. But she added: 'We don't have any evidence at this point that that's what happened.'"

"A tough sanctions measure approved by Congress against Syria could lead to a future invasion of the country, a prominent US lawmaker has said. Senator Robert Byrd... said on Tuesday that he feared the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act would be used to justify future military action against Damascus. 'The United States is justified in seeking to apply political and economic pressure on Syria to change its foreign policy'... But he highlighted one particular section of the bill that referred to 'hostile actions' by Syria against US-led forces in Iraq. 'I have not seen any evidence that would lead me to believe that it is the government of Syria that is responsible for the attacks against our troops in Iraq,' Byrd said. 'I have not seen any evidence that would lead me to believe that it is the government of Syria that is responsible for the attacks against our troops in Iraq... Such insinuations can only build the case for military action against Syria.'"

Despite repeated assertions by intelligence experts, Bush continues to try to make a case against Syria. The latest fabrication, being pushed by the Moonie News system (UPI, Washington Times, et al) is that the WMDs can't be found because they have been whisked into Syria. Bush says we have satellite photos to show it (but of course we can't let ya look at them tooo closely!). Invading Syria is part of the Bush "oil pipeline of nations" connect-the-dot scheme.... Put 'em back to back, and Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India (already secured through billions in contracts for privatized government jobs), and Burma stretch from the Mediterranean to Southeast Asia. So we wonder when Bush will start accusing the Burmese of harboring Al Queda members and Saddam loyalists?

WashPost reports: "Commanders of U.S. military forces responsible for monitoring the border between Iraq and Syria say there is no evidence from human intelligence sources or radar surveillance aircraft indicating that significant numbers of foreign fighters are crossing into Iraq illegally... 'If somebody is saying the Ho Chi Minh Trail runs through my area of operations, I'm going to tell them they're wrong,' said Lt. Col. Joseph Buche, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne's 3rd Battalion, referring to the infiltration route through Laos used by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War."

Financial Times: "Reformers in Syria have echoed regional and European disquiet about Washington's hard line towards Damascus since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, saying US pressure is hampering the prospects for internal change. The US House of Representatives last week passed the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which now moves to the Senate. The act would allow the resident to impose sanctions against Syria unless it gives up alleged weapons of mass destruction, ends its support for militant Palestinian groups and removes its troops from Lebanon. The reformers argue that such US pressure - coupled with its presence in Iraq and support for Israel, which this month bombed a Palestinian camp near Damascus - will slow liberalisation moves."

"Pentagon adviser Richard Perle said Tuesday that the recent Israeli attack on an alleged training camp for Palestinian militants in Syria was long overdue and that he would not rule out U.S. military action against the Arab state. 'P/resident Bush [has] said he will not distinguish between terrorists and the states who harbor them,' Perle said. 'I was happy to see that Israel has now taken a similar step in responding to acts of terror that originate in Lebanese territory by going to the rulers of Lebanon in Damascus.' Perle said he hoped the air strike reflected a new Israeli policy similar to the Bush doctrine. Asked whether this would include possible U.S. military action against Syria, he said: 'Everything's possible.' Perle said it would not be difficult to commit forces to Syria despite heavy U.S. troop commitments to Iraq and the Korean peninsula, along with a continued presence in areas such as the Balkans and Liberia. 'Syria is militarily very weak,' he said."

Christian Science Monitor: "Turmoil in the Middle East and the sluggish pace of domestic political reform is fuelling an Islamic resurgence [in Syria]. Although the regime is deeply hostile to extremist Islam, analysts and diplomats believe that Islamic groups could play an increasingly influential role if the state's hold on the country weakens... Analysts say the Islamic resurgence is a reaction to the American-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the continuing violence between Israelis and Palestinians, and the faltering domestic reform program. The Syrian authorities are closely monitoring the Islamic resurgence, buying off some clerics as a means of controlling them, analysts say. But diplomats and analysts believe that the regime's control over Islamism could slip in the face of mounting frustration with rampant corruption and the failure to implement promised reforms."

Josh Marshall: "You really must read Tuesday's article by Judith Miller in the Times about Syria's 'ambitious program to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.' Miller of course has come in for a great deal of criticism, and rightly so, for her long record of highly credulous reporting about Iraq's WMD programs and support for various terrorist groups. Much of that reporting was apparently based on very uncritical sourcing to the usual suspects in the Iraqi exile community and equally dubious sources in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. (...Miller [once] lectured a Times colleague about how [her pal] Ahmed Chalabi was the source for 'most of the front page exclusives on WMD to our paper.') Now she's back at it again with Syria, with a piece which looks to be based on the same set of sources and clearly takes the same credulous approach... The truth is, who knows? ... But Miller's sources' credibility on this stuff is pretty near shot. And, frankly, so is hers."

The Toronto Star reports, "Former CIA director James Woolsey, touted to play a senior role in Iraq's interim administration, yesterday called Syrian President Bashar Assad a terrorist-supporting 'fascist' whose country needs a regime change.' His tough talk, delivered on Sunday news shows with the weight of the administration behind it, came even as US pResident George W. Bush softened somewhat his rhetoric toward Assad...Woolsey hammered home his points on Syria on two separate Sunday shows [NBC's] Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday. Washington power brokers traditionally use the Sunday talk shows to deliver the White House message-of-the-week and set the political agenda. Woolsey also reiterated administration complaints against the Islamic government of Iran. 'The current government is run from behind the scenes by the mullahs,' he told Fox News Sunday. 'They operate terrorist organizations and they torture people.'" And here we go again.

"Bush applauded signs Sunday that Syria is beginning to heed American demands for cooperation against Saddam Hussein's defunct regime. Lowering U.S. rhetoric that had led to speculation that Syria could become Bush's next military target, the resident focused on diplomacy as a way to contain Syria. 'There's some positive signs,' Bush said... 'They're getting the message that they should not harbor Baath Party officials, high ranking Iraqi officials.' Hours after Bush spoke, a spokesman in London for the Iraqi National Congress said Saddam's son-in-law, Jamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan al-Tikriti, had surrendered to INC forces in Baghdad after previously leaving Syria." So is Bush really backing off? Is he bowing to pressure from the Saudi-loving BushDaddy and his pals? Remember that just last week, Larry Eagleburger said invading Syria would mean impeachment. Or is Karl Rove just having Bush throw us a curve, until he comes up with a fresh angle for the next war push?

From the Moonie Times: "The talk over war with Syria increasingly resembles a spring rerun of the debate over war with Iraq, with virtually the same cast of characters and plot. Neoconservative Richard Perle, a leading hawk in the Iraq debate, yesterday called for Congress to pass a 'Syrian Liberation Act' modeled on the 1998 law that made regime change in Baghdad official U.S. policy. 'There are many ways to fight these battles,' Mr. Perle, a civilian adviser to the Pentagon, told a forum at the American Enterprise Institute... While few in Washington had any use for Saddam Hussein, Syria and Mr. Assad provided what U.S. officials concede was highly useful intelligence on al Qaeda in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The Bush administration established a back channel for communications with Damascus through a Texas public-policy center named for James A. Baker III, secretary of state under the first President Bush."

"The White House has privately ruled out suggestions that the US should go to war against Syria following its military success in Iraq, and has blocked preliminary planning for such a campaign in the Pentagon, the Guardian learned yesterday. In the past few weeks, the US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, ordered contingency plans for a war on Syria to be reviewed following the fall of Baghdad."

PentaPost reports, "The Bush administration escalated sharp diplomatic warnings to Syria today, accusing Iraq's neighbor of developing chemical weapons, harboring former Iraqi leaders and allowing foreign fighters to enter Iraq to attack U.S. troops." Do any of these words matter? Of course not. If the Bush Nazis want to conquer Syria next, they don't need any "reasons" - might makes right, period. Indict Bush on War Crimes now!

Arab News writes, "There is a serious fear that Damascus is next on Washington's list. That suspicion has been fueled by a wave of warnings from various members of the Bush administration since the war started... That is ominous. Washington obviously cannot accuse Syria of developing weapons of mass destruction, but the two other 'justifications' for war against Iraq - that it supports terrorism and is tyrannical - are clearly being carefully manufactured... This assumption by the US - that it has a right to change the government or regime in another country it considers a threat or disapproves of - demonstrates a frightening use of brute power. Washington has become not so much a superpower as a hyper-power, setting itself up above the rest of us. That is why the principle was repudiated by most of the world; it places the entire world in crisis - something we now see beginning to happen."

Newsday reports, "The CIA has no credible evidence that the government of Syria has had a role in the shipment of night-vision goggles and other military equipment to Iraq... Donald Rumsfeld last Friday suggested that Syria was responsible for the shipment to Iraq of defense-related goods, including the goggles, and warned that the US considered 'such trafficking as hostile acts and would hold the Syrian government accountable.' Syria quickly denied the accusation. And the administration official said that while military goods, including goggles, have been smuggled through Syria into Iraq for many years, 'It's not necessarily with the knowledge, consent or approval of the Syrian government. It's not a new phenomenon, and it's not clear it has the Syrian government's imprimatur.' At the same time, he said, military goods also have been shipped into Iraq, in violation of UN sanctions, from border countries much more aligned with the U.S. government, including Turkey and Jordan."