Rumsfeld Warns Syria

[Urban Ranger]

It is really stupid for the US to start another front now. Make that really stupid.

[Az]

I agree, actually. But I don't think that an action would be taken.

[MOBIUS]

See, now if Dumbsfeld hadn't opened his fat gob in public, Syria wouldn't have publicly backed the Iraqis - he made the French situation worse, he caused the British problems...

Someone please shut the moron up!

[Az]

how does it matter if Syria backs the Iraquis privately or publicly.

[spiritof1202]

makes them feel better after getting repeatedly beat like red-headed stepchildren in every major engagement they've fought vs western forces/Israel since the foundation of their nation.

[Ned]

Azazel, it makes a major difference because the Syrians could be seen to be openly defying the United States. This lends support to the anti-war people who said that the war in Iraq would lead to "destabilization."

Morbius, did you know that Syria reacted to Powell's statements, not Rumsfeld's?

[Az]

These effects are negligble, in relation to the actual existance of such help ( I don't mean the help itself, I mean the effects on foreign policies of the US and Syria, when the US knows of the shipments ).

This is esp. correct since the amount of attention the Bush Administration gives to outside advice is ~0.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Azazel
I agree, actually. But I don't think that an action would be taken.

That's even worse. On one hand, the W admin is trying to establish this "We Mean Business" kind of image. OTOH, now you have these puny countries publicly laughing at senior officials in his cabinet, and completely blowing everything out of the water.