BloodEclipse
Grandmaster
Syria diplomat in US summoned over Hezbollah arms
US summons Syria diplomat over Scud transfer
Syria denied sending Scud missiles Scuds to Hezbollah in Lebanon (File)
WASHINGTON (Agencies)
The senior Syrian diplomat in Washington was summoned to the State Department on early Tuesday to review "provocative behavior" regarding a potential transfer of Scud missiles to Hezbollah, a State Department spokesman said.
"The most senior Syrian diplomat present in Washington today, Deputy Chief of Mission Zouheir Jabbour, was summoned to the Department of State to review Syria's provocative behavior concerning the potential transfer of arms to Hezbollah," department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said in a statement.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the Scud, from Syria to Hezbollah," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said in a statement.
"We call for an immediate cessation of any arms transfers to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region," the statement said.
The United States has not confirmed whether it has actual information on an arms transfer. However, a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "We wouldn't have called them in if we didn't think something was going on."
The State Department said this was the fourth time in recent months that Washington has raised the issue with the Syrian Embassy.
The diplomatic quarrel is likely to put a damper on President Barack Obama's administration's year-long campaign to engage Syria, a former U.S. foe, and energize its thwarted push for a broad Arab-Israeli peace, particularly between Israel and the Palestinians.
We call for an immediate cessation of any arms transfers to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region
Gordon Duguid, U.S. State Department
"An essential player"
U.S. Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited Damascus April 1, and after a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad he described Syria as "an essential player in bringing peace and stability to the region."
Obama in February appointed the first U.S. ambassador to Damascus in five years, a move Kerry said was "evidence that engagement with Syria is a priority at the highest levels of our government."
The Senate approved envoy Robert Ford as the new ambassador last Tuesday.
But a day later, Washington expressed alarm to Syria over its possible sale of Scud missiles to Hezbollah fighters, warning it would put Lebanon at "significant risk."
Washington expressed renewed concern Saturday over possible Scud missile supplies to Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite armed group backed by Syria and Iran. The United States has labeled Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
"The heightened tension and increased potential for conflict this policy produces is an impediment to ongoing efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East," Duguid said.
Duguid stressed this was the fourth time such concerns had been raised with the Syrian embassy in recent months.
"Our dialogue with Syria on this issue has been frank and sustained. We expect the same in return," he said.
According to Arab media and some think-tanks, Syria has been sending some of its own arsenal of Scuds to Lebanon, an allegation denied by Damascus.
So in this article we learn the following.
1. John Kerry is an idiot.
2. Obama's attempt to "engage" Syria has shown his weakness.
3. Israel can't depend on the Obama administration to do anything about this threat. Four chats in recent months has produced no deterrence.
