THE DOCTOR'S QUESTION:

Syria: Genuine or gimmick (Micah D. Halpern  January 8, 2004, Israeli Insider)

It appears that Bashar Assad is not only intent on ruling his own people, but on becoming a serious force in the Arab world. And most often, serious forces in the Arab world are dangerous forces for the Western world.

I don't believe that this Assad will be the exception to the rule.

His link to Saddam Hussein was strong. Much information has been garnered from intelligence reports that emerged surrounding the U.S. decision to enter Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction. It seems that Saddam transferred components and machinery used in chemical weapons over the border into Syria in the weeks prior to the U.S. invasion. The weapons then made their way deeper into eastern Syria and into western Lebanon.

The Syrian ruler knows that he is in the crosshairs of the U.S. military. He understands that, especially with such a large Coalition intervention force in the region, a wrong step on his part could be the right excuse to depose him, too. For the first time since he has been in power, Bashar Assad has begun to make public statements and provocative gestures aimed at placating the United States. [...]

Intel reports suggest that Bashar Assad probably wants peace with Israel. I agree. He wants the entire Golan. But right now he wants the U.S. pressure being placed on him to be relieved. That pressure is an immediate threat to him and his nation. It seems the eye doctor has turned into an effective diplomat. Israel realizes this and will not fall into his trap.

So, other than ending the WMD threat in Iraq, liberating the Iraqi people, removing an al Qaeda zone of operation in Northern Iraq, and turning up the torque so high that Qaddafi, Kim, Iran, and Assad are all desperate for peace deals, in what sense did the war make us any safer?

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 8, 2004 09:02 AM