THE LESSON OF IRAQ, HALF-LEARNED:

US ‘seeks new Syrian leader' as pressure mounts (Guy Dinmore, October 9 2005, Financial Times)

As it steps up pressure on Damascus, the US is actively seeking an alternative who would take over from President Bashar al-Assad, according to sources close to the Bush administration.

Washington has consulted its allies in an inter-agency search co-ordinated by Stephen Hadley, the president's national security adviser. The US is also said to be considering military strikes on the Syrian border in response to its alleged support for Iraqi insur-gents.

“They are tasking inside and outside the administration with finding an alternative. They would like to find someone to give them a soft landing,” said a former official who asked not to be named. “They would probably accept a military figure but it would be very hard to identify someone to step in and work with the US.”

A transitional leader is necessary and one drawn from the military would be acceptable, but he can't be permanent.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 11, 2005 6:55 PM