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Old 06-25-2003, 05:06 AM
thedrifter thedrifter is offline
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Cool Border skirmish further strains U.S.-Syria relations

June 24, 2003

Border skirmish further strains U.S.-Syria relations

By Zeina Karam
Associated Press



DAMASCUS, Syria ? The skirmish along the Iraqi-Syrian border involving U.S. commandos, a convoy of suspected Iraqi fugitives and Syrian border guards added another strain to already poor U.S.-Syrian relations, though neither Damascus nor Washington would address the repercussions Tuesday.
In Syria, newspapers, TV and radio ? all of which are state-controlled ? had said nothing about the violence, which happened nearly a week ago and was first reported in recent days by Arab satellite stations and U.S. media. That was typical of Syria?s authoritarian government, which suppresses sensitive news until officials have determined a stance.

Syria has shown itself eager to avoid confrontation with the United States. It has stressed it is a partner in the U.S.-led war on terror and last month closed offices it had allowed Palestinian militant groups the United States accuses of terrorism to maintain in Damascus.

A U.S. Embassy spokesperson in Damascus referred The Associated Press to the Syrian authorities and U.S. Central Command.

?We have made it very clear to senior levels of the Syrian government the importance we attach to its cooperation with our efforts to achieve a stable, democratic government in Iraq and the apprehension of senior officials of the former Iraqi regime,? the spokesperson told The Associated Press in Damascus.

The spokesperson would not speak further and it was not clear whether the comment refers to contact about the border skirmish or the dialogue between Washington and Damascus over Iraq during the past two months.

In Washington, State Department spokesmen did not return telephone queries Monday asking what the effect on U.S.-Syrian relations was likely to be. Department spokesman Philip T. Reeker referred questions to the Defense Department. A senior defense official said he knew of no U.S. government contact with Syria on the issue, even though U.S. forces were reportedly still holding and treating Syrian border guards injured in the operation.

Last Wednesday, according to U.S. officials, special operations soldiers backed by an AC-130 gunship and other air support attacked a convoy of several vehicles near the Syrian-Iraqi border. The soldiers, working partly on information obtained from a captured former Saddam Hussein confidant, believed former top Iraqi officials ? though not necessarily Saddam ? were fleeing to Syria in the convoy.

The total number killed in the operation was not available, although it did not appear to include Syrians, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Five Syrian border guards were wounded ? three later treated by U.S. forces. It was unclear where they had been positioned. Officials first said the guards had engaged in a fire fight with Americans, but later said it was unclear whether they were hit in shooting with ground troops or by an air attack.

Americans may have pursued part of the convoy across the border into Syria, one U.S. official said. None of the Syrians had been returned to their government as of Tuesday, officials said.

U.S.-Syrian relations already had been strained over events in Iraq. Earlier this year, U.S. officials threatened sanctions against Syria because of allegations it harbored fleeing members of Saddam?s deposed government and charges that it provided Iraq with military equipment. U.S. officials also accused Syria of trying to stockpile weapons of mass destruction and of allowing Arabs to cross its territory into Iraq to fight alongside Saddam?s forces against U.S. and British troops.

Syria denied all those accusations, but also said it was difficult to stop traffic of people or goods across the border.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has cited strong tribal connections between the two countries and noted the vast desert areas on either side of the 310-mile Syria-Iraq border. Only areas close to official crossing points are fenced. Toward the north, the Tigris River provides a natural barrier. People cross on foot or on donkeys or in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

In April, Syrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Bouthayna Shabaan acknowledged: ?we can?t watch every meter on the border.?

The litany of U.S. accusations led to speculation that Washington saw Damascus as the next U.S. military target after Iraq, but tensions eased after a May visit to Damascus by Secretary of State Colin Powell.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.


Sempers,

Roger
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IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY HUSBAND
SSgt. Roger A.
One Proud Marine
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