Hillary Clinton urges punishment for Syria

[POA]

Sen. Clinton urges punishment for Syria

By DEVLIN BARRETT
Associated Press Writer

March 1, 2005, 11:46 AM EST

WASHINGTON -- Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called Tuesday for tougher punishment against Syria, saying the country was aggressively supporting terrorism in the "dangerous neighborhood" of the Middle East.

In lambasting Syria, Clinton joined a growing chorus of officials in Washington urging the United States to take a harsher stance against that country following a Feb. 14 bombing in Beirut that killed the former premier of Lebanon.

Speaking to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Clinton branded Syria and Iran bad neighbors bent on upsetting the fragile balance in the region.

"It is not only a dangerous neighborhood, but a neighborhood in which very few of the neighbors are committed to what Prime Minister (Ariel) Sharon is doing or what we hope to come from the Palestinian leadership," said Clinton.

Iran and Syria "pose such great threats not only to peace and stability, but in Iran's case the potential for nuclear capacity, and in Syria's case, with the continuation of the support for terrorism that flows from Damascus," she said.

Both Iran and Syria were cause for alarm, but Clinton said Syria deserved special attention.

"I've been particularly troubled by the Syrians' aggressive posture," said Clinton. "We need to send a very clear message that we will not tolerate what we believe to be and have reason to know is the continuing support for terrorism that comes out of Syria and Iran."

Clinton, considered an early front-runner for her party's nomination to the White House in 2008, has asked the Bush administration to toughen economic sanctions against Syria.

She was followed to the stage by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who hinted that Syrian President Bashar Assad may find it difficult to hold onto power amid the push for greater democracy in neighboring Lebanon.

"It will be interesting to see what happens inside Syria. ... In this day and age it's hard to be a ruthless dictator," said McConnell.

Syria has come under intense worldwide scrutiny since the bombing that killed former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri and 16 others.

Assad, in an interview published Monday in an Italian newspaper, denied any involvement, saying such a role would spell "political suicide."

The United States already enforces sanctions against Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, but the criticism has escalated amid complaints that Syria and Iran allow militants to slip across the borders with Iraq to conduct attacks on U.S. forces.

Assad told La Repubblica he believed the U.S. might attack his country, but said such a confrontation would be averted because Damascus is critical to any peace effort.

[Moses]

I note that you rightly include "Hel'" Clinton in the neocon column. It is horrifying that a leading Democrat is so transparent in her representation of a small number of wealthy political contributors who misuse this country on behalf of a foreign power. She should be arrested for treason.

[Moses]

Hillary's Running Mate?

Member Of Congress Calls for Nuking Syria

By ADC

03/02/05 Washington, DC -- Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) has advocated for attacking Syria with nuclear weapons. Rep. Johnson was quoted telling a recent church gathering, "Syria is the problem. Syria is where those weapons of mass destruction are, in my view. You know, I can fly an F-15, put two nukes on 'em and I'll make one pass. We won't have to worry about Syria anymore." The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is outraged at Rep. Johnson's statement advocating for mass destruction and genocide and views this as a sad day in our country's tradition when an elected member of the United States Congress openly advocates for attacking another country with nuclear weapons.

ADC calls upon Rep. Johnson to provide an immediate and public explanation for his remarks. Additionally, ADC calls on the White House to publicly distance itself from such un-American views. In a letter faxed to Rep. Johnson today, former congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar, president of ADC, said, "While we recognize the current differences between the Bush Administration and the Syrian Government, these differences should be addressed in negotiations at the conference table, in coordination with our international partners, rather than confrontation in the battle field by using nuclear weapons," Oakar continued, "Advocating for genocide by nuclear attack against any country is completely unacceptable and contrary to our American values and traditions."

Oakar said, "These remarks have no place in the United States Congress."

Rep. Johnson can be reached at:

District Office- 2929 North Central Expressway
Suite 240
Richardson, TX 75080 <br>Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

Washington Office- 1211 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

[karpomrx]

As I have stated here before, the USA does not have the troop strength to fight a conventional war.
I resigned myself to seeing the use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons long ago.
What's the beef? These aren't the members of the master race, after all.