I read several news pieces about it, but not the whole report. OK, was there anything new and earthshaking in it?
I would point out that it contradicts to a small degree the 911 Commission report, that detailed a number of meetings between Iraqi reps and either bin Laden or his henchmen - including all sorts of requests for aid and comfort, which Sadaam never tendered. There was communication, but little else.
This was clear when the 9/11 Commision published their report, and LONG before if you (and by that I refer to all the discussions we've had on this since last year) study the multitude of other sources.
Sadaam had plenty of contacts with terrorists, and loved to mug it up for the cameras when he wrote big checks for the families of homicide bombers, but he and Al Qaeda never really hit it off.
More importantly, it appears that Al Qaeda and Iran are starting to talk quietly. Early signs. This is more important (save for those trying to cover exposed body parts) than ancient news that Sadaam was NOT behind 9/11.
If that's news, then I have stumbled into a wormhole and popped out 2 years in the future (hey guys, this is 2006, right?)
Its JUST NOT IMPORTANT, except to those politicians (from both parties) who will use it for political cover.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The best part of the show was when the leader of the Northern Alliance turned to Kirk the CIA man and asked "Are there any men in Washington" That said volumes! Especally now that these cowardly senators are saying that terorrist have the same Geneva Con. rights as standing militarys that are signatories of the conventions. And other politicly correct crap that is going on now.
__________________
06' GT Tungsten gray,seq. turn sigs. no spoiler.
XM,
An armed man is called a citizen.A disarmed man is called a subject.
In two years when Hillary Clinton is the President and Pelossi is Speaker of the House, I'll remember "the Lion's" question.
By then the Media will be trying to tell us that just having Hillary in there will save us - refer back to the early years of FDR for context...
Easy to be a hero when expectations are an inch high, and everybody else is standing in a hole.
Quote:
Originally Posted by napalmbomb
The best part of the show was when the leader of the Northern Alliance turned to Kirk the CIA man and asked "Are there any men in Washington" That said volumes! Especally now that these cowardly senators are saying that terorrist have the same Geneva Con. rights as standing militarys that are signatories of the conventions. And other politicly correct crap that is going on now.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The best part of the show was when the leader of the Northern Alliance turned to Kirk the CIA man and asked "Are there any men in Washington" That said volumes! Especally now that these cowardly senators are saying that terorrist have the same Geneva Con. rights as standing militarys that are signatories of the conventions. And other politicly correct crap that is going on now.
Seeing as how EVERY ONE of those Senators -Lindsay Graham -JAG Officer, and Military Judge -John McCain -Vietnam Vet, and POW, and John Warner -Navy Chief ALL served their country in the Military -along with Colin freakin' Powell have ALL opposed the legislation,
-you MAY want to reconsider your position that they are cowardly.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I read several news pieces about it, but not the whole report. OK, was there anything new and earthshaking in it?
I would point out that it contradicts to a small degree the 911 Commission report, that detailed a number of meetings between Iraqi reps and either bin Laden or his henchmen - including all sorts of requests for aid and comfort, which Sadaam never tendered. There was communication, but little else.
This was clear when the 9/11 Commision published their report, and LONG before if you (and by that I refer to all the discussions we've had on this since last year) study the multitude of other sources.
Sadaam had plenty of contacts with terrorists, and loved to mug it up for the cameras when he wrote big checks for the families of homicide bombers, but he and Al Qaeda never really hit it off.
More importantly, it appears that Al Qaeda and Iran are starting to talk quietly. Early signs. This is more important (save for those trying to cover exposed body parts) than ancient news that Sadaam was NOT behind 9/11.
If that's news, then I have stumbled into a wormhole and popped out 2 years in the future (hey guys, this is 2006, right?)
Its JUST NOT IMPORTANT, except to those politicians (from both parties) who will use it for political cover.
#1 Saddam paid the families of the terrorists. not terror organizations -and he did this to engender support from islamists in the run-up to the war. He did not do so prior to late 2002.
#2 the only terrorist organization he DID support was the MEK. We are currently supporting the MEK.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Sadaam also slipped funds to the Palestinians (including Hamas). All for PR reasons, of course - playing the swell with the Arab street. But lest we forget, he never forgave the Israelis for bombing his reactors. Sadaam may well have hated them almost as much as the Iranians and Palestinians, but was smart enough (having once been burned) to funnel his aid quietly. The check signings were pure PR, though they could certainly be construed as "enabling" the recruiting of fresh dumb bombs for the terrorist organizations that specialize in such things. Nothing like rich "performance bonuses" to motivate the potential martyrs.
As I recall, we had the MEK blacklisted until about 2 months ago - so now we are supporting them - OK, I'll accept that. If they can help get a more secular government in Iran (right now, I'd settle for a COMMUNIST secular government), fine by me. Tools for every use, and a use for every tool.
Frankly, I'm willing to concede that Sadaam was very isolated from the islamofascist mainstream, and had little to do with them - attempts to shore up the logic for the Iraq invasion with extranious stuff like this is annoying. You do recall, I hope, that I never really saw Sadaam as some Al Qaeda stooge. The fact that his guys had contacts with just about EVERYBODY, including some pretty solid rumors they were talking to our home-grown terrorists pre-Oklahoma, doesn't mean that he was their "main man". It also doesn't mean that he was squeaky clean. He deserved to be shot just for cutting checks to homicide bombers' heirs, thus encouraging more of the same. With the fact that some of the people being blown up by those dumb bombs were American kids, pregnant mothers and college students, his check writing constituted an act of war.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
#1 Saddam paid the families of the terrorists. not terror organizations -and he did this to engender support from islamists in the run-up to the war. He did not do so prior to late 2002.
#2 the only terrorist organization he DID support was the MEK. We are currently supporting the MEK.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The Libertarians outed our support for the MEK last year.
Hussein's support was nothing as compared to the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia.
The only country that approaches Fascism in the Middle East is thre House of Saus, and the house of Bin Laden.
It's the only country with 1-party rule, and a collusion of Religion and Corporate Power.
_______________________________
Funny how no one reports that Syria just lost soldiers protecting our embassy from Al Quaeda.
Syria is a socialist country trying to keep out the fanatics. For how much longer? who knows.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
The MEK were still on the proscribed list until 3 months ago - I checked. I posted a link to an excellent article in support of moving them (and several other groups) off the list to use them to pressure Iran back toward a secular base. I supported this then and now.
But where is the evidence we were officially proscribing MEK while simultaneously secretly supporting them (presumably with money) last year? I'd like to see that.
Sadaam was always small potatoes in the Palestinian/terrorist group support network. Had he not misinterpreted Bush-the-elder's garbled messages regarding Kuwait and other middle eastern geopolitical matters, he'd still be in power, still abusing his own people and tossing rocks at Iran, while playing the
"BMOC" (big man on crack) to the tv cameras.
Sorry KS, I'm kind of tired of endlessly defining fascism. You've worn me down on that one. I'll even grant that the House of bin Laden is fascist - they're almost numerous enough to count as a country anyway.
As for Saudi Arabia being the only country in the middle east with 1 party rule...
Wouldn't you say that applies to most of the monarchies (9 of them by my count) in the area, not to mention various military dictatorships (3 in a quick review) and Egypt, which is a de factor dictatorship if not a de jeure?
Israel and Turkey are democracies, and if Iran ever has another election, they MIGHT be one (if the mullahs let them, which makes them just a totalitarian theocracy in my book).
But Saudi Arabia is more the norm than the exception for that part of the planet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
The Libertarians outed our support for the MEK last year.
Hussein's support was nothing as compared to the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia.
The only country that approaches Fascism in the Middle East is thre House of Saus, and the house of Bin Laden.
It's the only country with 1-party rule, and a collusion of Religion and Corporate Power.
_______________________________
Funny how no one reports that Syria just lost soldiers protecting our embassy from Al Quaeda.
Syria is a socialist country trying to keep out the fanatics. For how much longer? who knows.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
I'll give the Syrian security forces cred for that one. Assuming it wasn't a put up (which I don't believe, but then again, lots of folks on the other side keep implying that the Israeli soldier snatching was a fake, so it engenders that kind of skepticism).
Good troops doing a good job in a tough situation. I believe they deserve a thank you from us. I also heard that they got one, though, as you say, it received little notice in the media.
As for Syria being the good guys, I'm not ready to go that far. Too much history.
But could they be turned against the Iranians, Hezbollah and other islamic terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda?
Perhaps. Just as it was once a good idea to support the Mujahideen (including a nascent Al Qaeda) in the war against the Soviets, and Sadaam in his war against Iran, it may indeed be time to pursue lining up Syria as a friend in this terror war.
Its creative thinking - I congratulate you KS for coming up with this.
We could probably get Syria and Israel to agree on a plan for Lebanon if we made it clear that Syria would get some help in their court for services rendered with the islamofascists.
Very interesting concept. I like it. I wonder what the new Israeli government would think of it? I'd keep it cool until Israel settled their after-action report on the Lebanese incursion - followed by a likely vote of no-confidence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
Funny how no one reports that Syria just lost soldiers protecting our embassy from Al Quaeda.
Syria is a socialist country trying to keep out the fanatics. For how much longer? who knows.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The MEK were still on the proscribed list until 3 months ago - I checked. I posted a link to an excellent article in support of moving them (and several other groups) off the list to use them to pressure Iran back toward a secular base. I supported this then and now.
But where is the evidence we were officially proscribing MEK while simultaneously secretly supporting them (presumably with money) last year? I'd like to see that.
Sadaam was always small potatoes in the Palestinian/terrorist group support network. Had he not misinterpreted Bush-the-elder's garbled messages regarding Kuwait and other middle eastern geopolitical matters, he'd still be in power, still abusing his own people and tossing rocks at Iran, while playing the
"BMOC" (big man on crack) to the tv cameras.
Sorry KS, I'm kind of tired of endlessly defining fascism. You've worn me down on that one. I'll even grant that the House of bin Laden is fascist - they're almost numerous enough to count as a country anyway.
As for Saudi Arabia being the only country in the middle east with 1 party rule...
Wouldn't you say that applies to most of the monarchies (9 of them by my count) in the area, not to mention various military dictatorships (3 in a quick review) and Egypt, which is a de factor dictatorship if not a de jeure?
Israel and Turkey are democracies, and if Iran ever has another election, they MIGHT be one (if the mullahs let them, which makes them just a totalitarian theocracy in my book).
But Saudi Arabia is more the norm than the exception for that part of the planet.
The California Libertarians threw a fit about it last year. First paragraph follows:
On January 15, 2003, a full-page advertisement appeared in the New York Times (page A19): “150 Members of U.S. Congress Declare Support for the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI), Call for an End to Iran’s Terrorist Regime”. This advertisement contained the names of only 6 of the signers of the “Iran Statement”: Democrats Bob Filner (California), Sheila Jackson-Lee (Texas), Edolphus Towns (New York); Republicans Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Florida), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Florida), Tom Tancredo (Colorado). Shortly after this advertisement appeared, American soldiers went to war in Iraq and killed some of these Saddam Hussein-supported Marxist terrorists (as classified by the State Departments of former President Bill Clinton and of President George W. Bush) in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. In June 2003, the French police arrested the leader (Maryam Rajavi) and many supporters plus confiscated hundreds of thousands of dollars of their funds. Some members of this communist cult responded by burning themselves to death in front of news cameras. Afterwards, some members of Congress continued to support publicly the group (known also as the MEK, MKO, or Rajavi Cult), including a letter sent by Democratic Congressman (and son of a Communist Party candidate for Congress) Bob Filner, claiming that the MEK shares Western democratic values. The Fox News Channel retained as an analyst Alireza Jafarzadeh, who operated for many years from the National Press Building in Washington, D.C., as a spokesperson for this group’s press office, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Former Attorney General John Ashcroft, an MEK supporter while a Republican Senator, raided Jafarzadeh’s home to take boxes of documents. According to the State Department, the MEK murdered American military officers and Rockwell International employees. Anti-war critics are correct in criticizing chickenhawks, neoconservatives (neo-Trotskyites), and other traitors who support the MEK. In July 2004, the American government recognized each MEK terrorist as a protected person under the Fourth Geneva Convention and required the American military to protect America’s enemies.
Americans who rely solely upon the evening television news or upon their local newspapers are unlikely to know the truth about the 150 or more traitors in Congress who support the communist takeover of Iran and the takeovers of many other countries by any leader or group willing to enslave their people to appease the neoconservatives (neo-Trotskyites).
Many Americans do not understand that the American government has permitted a small number of corporations to buy television networks and stations, radio stations, newspapers, and book publishers and retailers. Contrary to the traditional American value for freedom of the press, much of America’s media today is closer to the controlled media described in George Orwell’s 1984. The last frontier for freedom of the press has become the Internet. Even at online political discussion forums, however, moderators may serve as unpredictable gate keepers. If you search for my name online at Free Republic, “…the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism…”, you will see this response: "This account has been banned or suspended." As an elected member of the Republican Party Central Committee, Los Angeles County (1990 to 1992) and as a conservative Republican candidate for the California State Assembly endorsed by the California Republican Assembly (1992), my conservative views should have been welcome at any truly conservative forum."
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I'll give the Syrian security forces cred for that one. Assuming it wasn't a put up (which I don't believe, but then again, lots of folks on the other side keep implying that the Israeli soldier snatching was a fake, so it engenders that kind of skepticism).
Good troops doing a good job in a tough situation. I believe they deserve a thank you from us. I also heard that they got one, though, as you say, it received little notice in the media.
As for Syria being the good guys, I'm not ready to go that far. Too much history.
But could they be turned against the Iranians, Hezbollah and other islamic terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda?
Perhaps. Just as it was once a good idea to support the Mujahideen (including a nascent Al Qaeda) in the war against the Soviets, and Sadaam in his war against Iran, it may indeed be time to pursue lining up Syria as a friend in this terror war.
Its creative thinking - I congratulate you KS for coming up with this.
We could probably get Syria and Israel to agree on a plan for Lebanon if we made it clear that Syria would get some help in their court for services rendered with the islamofascists.
Very interesting concept. I like it. I wonder what the new Israeli government would think of it? I'd keep it cool until Israel settled their after-action report on the Lebanese incursion - followed by a likely vote of no-confidence.
There are no good guys where there is gold. -Specifically, Texas Tea.
Our foreign policy has been pushing Syria to the Iranians for protection. Syria and Iran have been historical rivals for the psyches of Arabs, ecumenicism vs theocratic hegemony.
the area was in a balance, but we keep pushing the ball further to theocracy. Syria took over Lebanon to keep Hezbollah down. If Syria falls to the Theocrats, the Christians will likely have to leave Labanon as refugees, and Hezbollah will own Lebanon. They are the most organized, and the wealthiest political group in Lebanon.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I'll look up my own source (article published in the Washington Post about 3 months ago) that referenced our Proscibed Group list and which included MEK at that time.
I find Prof. Foote's post be chaotic and hard to follow. Also, "support" means a little more to me than recognizing people as enemy combatants under the Geneva Conventions (which is what the current disaster in the Senate is all about, of course).
He also strikes me as a bit over the top on the Communism topic, even for me. And if I'm not mistaken, about half his post is some kind of complaint aimed at someone off camera who must have questioned his conservative credentials.
I'll dig up the article and post the link again. Maybe there's a simple explanation, but as of right now the two sources are diametrically oppossed as regards the facts and timing, though I suppose its possible that in the time between 2003 and 2006, the Bush administration delisted the MEK, the relisted them, then delisted them again.
The California Libertarians threw a fit about it last year. First paragraph follows:
On January 15, 2003, a full-page advertisement appeared in the New York Times (page A19): “150 Members of U.S. Congress Declare Support for the People’s Mojahedin (PMOI), Call for an End to Iran’s Terrorist Regime”. This advertisement contained the names of only 6 of the signers of the “Iran Statement”: Democrats Bob Filner (California), Sheila Jackson-Lee (Texas), Edolphus Towns (New York); Republicans Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Florida), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Florida), Tom Tancredo (Colorado). Shortly after this advertisement appeared, American soldiers went to war in Iraq and killed some of these Saddam Hussein-supported Marxist terrorists (as classified by the State Departments of former President Bill Clinton and of President George W. Bush) in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. In June 2003, the French police arrested the leader (Maryam Rajavi) and many supporters plus confiscated hundreds of thousands of dollars of their funds. Some members of this communist cult responded by burning themselves to death in front of news cameras. Afterwards, some members of Congress continued to support publicly the group (known also as the MEK, MKO, or Rajavi Cult), including a letter sent by Democratic Congressman (and son of a Communist Party candidate for Congress) Bob Filner, claiming that the MEK shares Western democratic values. The Fox News Channel retained as an analyst Alireza Jafarzadeh, who operated for many years from the National Press Building in Washington, D.C., as a spokesperson for this group’s press office, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Former Attorney General John Ashcroft, an MEK supporter while a Republican Senator, raided Jafarzadeh’s home to take boxes of documents. According to the State Department, the MEK murdered American military officers and Rockwell International employees. Anti-war critics are correct in criticizing chickenhawks, neoconservatives (neo-Trotskyites), and other traitors who support the MEK. In July 2004, the American government recognized each MEK terrorist as a protected person under the Fourth Geneva Convention and required the American military to protect America’s enemies.
Americans who rely solely upon the evening television news or upon their local newspapers are unlikely to know the truth about the 150 or more traitors in Congress who support the communist takeover of Iran and the takeovers of many other countries by any leader or group willing to enslave their people to appease the neoconservatives (neo-Trotskyites).
Many Americans do not understand that the American government has permitted a small number of corporations to buy television networks and stations, radio stations, newspapers, and book publishers and retailers. Contrary to the traditional American value for freedom of the press, much of America’s media today is closer to the controlled media described in George Orwell’s 1984. The last frontier for freedom of the press has become the Internet. Even at online political discussion forums, however, moderators may serve as unpredictable gate keepers. If you search for my name online at Free Republic, “…the premier online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism…”, you will see this response: "This account has been banned or suspended." As an elected member of the Republican Party Central Committee, Los Angeles County (1990 to 1992) and as a conservative Republican candidate for the California State Assembly endorsed by the California Republican Assembly (1992), my conservative views should have been welcome at any truly conservative forum."
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
I'll look up my own source (article published in the Washington Post about 3 months ago) that referenced our Proscibed Group list and which included MEK at that time.
I find Prof. Foote's post be chaotic and hard to follow. Also, "support" means a little more to me than recognizing people as enemy combatants under the Geneva Conventions (which is what the current disaster in the Senate is all about, of course).
He also strikes me as a bit over the top on the Communism topic, even for me. And if I'm not mistaken, about half his post is some kind of complaint aimed at someone off camera who must have questioned his conservative credentials.
I'll dig up the article and post the link again. Maybe there's a simple explanation, but as of right now the two sources are diametrically oppossed as regards the facts and timing, though I suppose its possible that in the time between 2003 and 2006, the Bush administration delisted the MEK, the relisted them, then delisted them again.
Unlikely, but possible.
That's not the original -that's a blogged doc. hence references to other stuff -I can't find the original speech on this computer. It won't allow me to download documents not on our own servers.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I believe we have something here - an original concept without derivative links. Congratulations - I sincerely hope some bright young man in the State Department is floating this concept right now.
Maybe its the Polyanna side of my psyche, but I look at things like this as opportunities. Its rare when you can simultaneously help yourself (terror war), help an old ally down on their luck (Israel), help a really downtrodden people stuck in the middle (Lebanon) and maybe, just maybe, start building something good for the future.
Sure its all built on selfish goals and self-interest - but that doesn't mean the relationship can't work, and even grow to something really good.
Its worth a try.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
There are no good guys where there is gold. -Specifically, Texas Tea.
Our foreign policy has been pushing Syria to the Iranians for protection. Syria and Iran have been historical rivals for the psyches of Arabs, ecumenicism vs theocratic hegemony.
the area was in a balance, but we keep pushing the ball further to theocracy. Syria took over Lebanon to keep Hezbollah down. If Syria falls to the Theocrats, the Christians will likely have to leave Labanon as refugees, and Hezbollah will own Lebanon. They are the most organized, and the wealthiest political group in Lebanon.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Syrians fight off attack on U.S. Embassy By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press Writer
Tue Sep 12, 2:46 PM ET
DAMASCUS, Syria - Armed Islamic militants attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in a brazen attack Tuesday, the government said. Four people were killed, including three of the assailants. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but an al-Qaida offshoot group was suspected, Syria's ambassador to the United States said. No Americans were hurt in the attack, in which the militants used automatic rifles, hand grenades and at least one van rigged with explosives.
The al-Qaida offshoot group, called Jund al-Sham, has been blamed for several attacks in Syria in recent years, the Syrian ambassador, Imad Moustapha, said in comments to CNN.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice praised Syrian security agents for repelling the attack, but added it was too early to know who may have been behind it. One of Syria's anti-terrorism forces was killed and 11 other people were wounded, the official news agency reported. The wounded including a police officer, two Iraqis and seven people employed at nearby technical workshop.
A witness said a Syrian guard outside the U.S. Embassy also was killed, but the government did not immediately confirm that. As at most American embassies worldwide, a local guard force patrols outside the compound's walls while U.S. Marines are mostly responsible for guarding classified documents and fighting off attackers inside the compound.
The Bush administration has been critical of the tight control that the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad has over its people. Rice, meeting with her Canadian counterpart in Nova Scotia, would not speculate on whether Tuesday's attack may be an indication that the regime's control is slipping.
White House press secretary Tony Snow also expressed gratitude to Syria. "Syrian officials came to aid of the Americans," Snow said. "The U.S. government is grateful for the assistance the Syrians provided in going after the attackers, and once again, that illustrates the importance of Syria being an important ally in the war on terror.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
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