SYRIA UNDER PRESSURE

There are continuing illegal demonstrations underway in Beirut demanding that Syria leave Lebanon, a response to the recent assassination by downtown car bomb of a popular leader …. Threatened by Israel, pressured by Lebanon, and chastised by America, Syria sought to buy some good will from its more powerful detractors. It denied Israel’s claims of masterminding a terror plot; it pulled some troops back into the Beka valley and then “dropped a dime” to use a phrase that cops use when they get informants to rat out a HVT (High Value Target).

Presto, as the BBC reports, “Syria helped to capture a half-brother of Saddam Hussein accused of aiding the Iraq insurgency, reports say.” This report of course will not win Damascus any friends among those battling the US occupation of Iraq.

A “THREE DOLLAR BILL”

Meanwhile another story about Syria in Iraq has been debunked by Professor Juan Cole’s always informed blog JuanCole.com on Iraq:

Show Trials and Phony Confessions Target Syria

AP reports on a televised confession of someone who said he was a Syrian agent in Iraq in charge of terrorist operations. The confession was broadcast on US-backed al-Iraqiyah television, and was produced presumably by the former Baath domestic intelligence officers appointed by Iyad Allawi.

“These confessions are phony as a three-dollar bill (or a three-Euro coin). AP reports with a straight face that al-Essa “claimed he infiltrated Iraq in 2001, about two years before the U.S. invasion, because Syrian intelligence was convinced that American military action loomed.” That allegation doesn’t pass the smell test with me. If this guy was sent in 2001, it was to make trouble for Saddam, not with reference to America. The Syrian Baath mostly did not get on well with the Iraqi Baath. Another confessed terrorist said he was sent to Pakistan for training and then Syria. Oh, now we have a Baath-Islamist axis again. Sure. Shiite secular Arab nationalists are just dying to get up a collaboration with non-Arab Pakistani hyper-Sunnis who paint “Kill the Shiites” on their mini-buses in Lahore.

“It is embarrassing that Allawi thought he could peddle this horse manure to the Iraqi and American publics.”

http://www.juancole.com/2005/02/show-trials-and-phony-confessions.html

IRAQ RESISTANCE HAS THE INITIATIVE

In Iraq this morning, yet another attack on police recruits lined up in Baghdad. It was bad. Many died. Of course all of our coverage is one-sided. Nic Robertson of CNN standing on a rooftop assuring us that security will now be approved and that more recruits are showing up than ever, not surprising considering the vast unemployment in Iraq and desperation. A job is a job.

Go back two months to the Economist report of January 1 and you learn what even Christianne Amanpour’s report on stress doctors on the front line didn’t report on 60 Minutes , as she depicted US soldiers under attack everywhere and anywhere. That reality reported — why it is happening was not.

…when America’s well-drilled and well-fed soldiers attempt subtler tasks than killing people, problems arise. At peace-keeping, peace enforcing or policing, call it what you will they are often inept. Even the best of them seem, ignorant of the people whose land they are occupying — unsurprising perhaps when practically no Americans speak Arbabic…. With insurgents reported to be dispensing criminal justice, American officers say they run a “parallel Administration…..”

In short, guess who is running things there? Does that picture ever come through. Incidentally, the Economist supported the war.

I HAD TO READ THIS TWICE

Bush: Attack on Iran ‘ridiculous’

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) — U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday that it is “simply ridiculous” to assume that the United States has plans to attack Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program after discussing the issue with European allies.

“This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table,” Bush said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/02/22/bush.iran.ap/

The NY Times reports today: “Iran has reluctantly turned over new evidence suggesting it negotiated for technologies central to making nuclear arms.”

TERRORISM?

Al Jazeera reports: “Israel has frozen plans to hand over security control of the West Bank to Palestinians. Israel’s army radio reported on Sunday that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz’s decision came at an emergency meeting called in the wake of a bombing that killed four Israelis and the bomber in Tel Aviv. It was not confirmed when the freeze would be lifted.”

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/658658A4-F1FF-4EFF-AE2C-1BD2F0948CA2.htm

POISONING THE WELL

Almira Hess, the brave Israeli journalist who covers the occupied West Bank for Ha’aretz confirms a story I saw on a Palestinian website but I didn’t run because I thought it was far fetched. I was wrong. Hess writes: “Vandals foul Palestinian village’s water supply.

“The Madama village’s spring was deliberately contaminated and its water supply system was sabotaged 10 days ago, village council head Ayed Kamal said Sunday. This is the sixth time in the past three years that the spring, the only source of water of the village’s 1,700 residents, and the water system, has been deliberately damaged.

“The village is located near the extremist Yitzhar settlement and its outposts. An Oxfam delegation, accompanied by an Israel Defense Forces unit for protection, set out last Thursday to gauge the damage. The Oxfam group needed protection after armed Israelis opened fire on workers repairing the spring and water pipes on two previous occasions during2002.

“Talia Somech, a spokeswoman for the IDF’s civil administration, told Haaretz that the IDF learned of the damage only during the visit on Thursday and that the matter would be passed on to the police.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/542572.html

CONDIMATRIX

Last week, a reader sent me that picture of Condi Rice in a tight split skirt and high boots and I commented on it. Maureen Dowd did as well in her NY Times Sunday. (I notice that some of the juiciest reporting these days is not in the lead paragraph but buried deep in the story) Here’s Ms Dowd’s blast at the boots:

“Mr. Bush and Condi Rice strut in their speeches — the secretary of state also strutted in Wiesbaden in her foxy “Matrix”-dominatrix black leather stiletto boots — but they shy away from taking questions from the public unless they get to vet the questions and audiences in advance.

“Administration officials went so far as to cancel a town hall meeting during Mr. Bush’s visit to Germany last week after deciding an unscripted setting would be too risky, opting for a round-table talk in Mainz with preselected Germans and Americans.

http://www.pej.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1984&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

WHO WANTS TO KILL HUGO?

Venezuela has been spooked or freaked or something by intelligence reports that President Hugo Chavez is in danger of being assassinated. Chavez said it. Fidel Castro said it. And now: “Venezuela’s Media Minister Andres Izarra reconfirms plot to assassinate President Chavez.”

By VHeadline Reporters

“Speaking from the press lectern at the Miraflores Palace at precisely 02:45 p.m. , Communications & Information Minister Andres Izarra has reconfirmed the position that the Venezuela government has “incontrovertible proof” that a plot is being hatched to assassinate President Hugo Chavez Frias.

“Izarra stated in clear, unequivocal terms, that he will not reveal the source of this intelligence information … but he did say that persons involved in past destabilization attempts in Venezuela are acting in concert with the main assassination coup plotters.”

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=25843

PAIN IN IRELAND

Jean McBride, the mother of murdered Belfast teenager Peter McBride, has released the following statement.

“Our family has watched events unfold over the past week as three soldiers were prosecuted and found guilty of the humilation and abuse of civilians in Basra, Iraq in 2003. General Mike Jackson has apologised to the Iraqi people and said that the actions of these soldiers has brought shame on the British Army. Most people would agree and our family. more than most, welcomes the fact that these soldiers have been thrown out of the armed forces. They were dismissed within hours of sentencing since, according to the court, they had ‘disgraced’ the army.

“The soldiers who murdered my son have been allowed to remain in the British Army. Peter was not suspended from the prongs of a forklift truck nor was he forced to stimulate sexual acts. Instead he was shot in the back in broad daylight in a North Belfast street and then finished off as he tried to pull himself up. According to a court of law two Scots Guards, Mark Wright and James Fisher, were guilty of murdering my son. They knew that Peter was unarmed and was no threat to them. But despite their convictions the Ministry of Defence has allowed both convicted murderers to stay on in the army. General Mike Jackson sat on the Army Board that made this decision as did John Spellar MP. Now, finally, I understand why. According to this government the two soldiers who shot my son in the back did not bring ‘disgrace’ on the army. What other explanation is there?”