Syria rejects American accusations on supporting Iraq militarily
Syria-Iraq-USA, Politics, 3/29/2003

The US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in a press conference at the US defense department has intelligence information on shipment of military equipment crossing the borders from Syria to Iraq, noting that these equipment include night vision equipment.

He added that the shipments constitute a direct danger on the lives of the coalition soldiers. "We do consider this kind of move as an act of hostility and we hold the Syrian government responsible." Rumsfeld stressed that the Syrians control their borders and that he hopes this sort of activity will not happen again.

He said replying to a question on the message he wants to address to the Syrian government that the message is with "Gen. Tommy Francs, the commander of the forces in that country ( Iraq).. we do not want these forces to lose their lives.. many of them are losing their lives. we do not want the duration of the conflict to be long, nor for the neighboring states."

He told reporters at the Pentagon that military supplies, including night vision equipment, are being sent into Iraq from Syria and "we would like it to stop" because any such assistance could result in the loss of lives and the prolongation of conflict. He also warned the Iranian-sponsored Badr Corps not to interfere with coalition military operations inside Iraq lest its members be considered "as combatants."

"We have information that shipments of military supplies are crossing the border from Syria into Iraq, including night vision goggles," said Rumsfeld, who described the transfers as "trafficking." Such deliveries "pose a direct threat to the lives of coalition forces," he added.

The United States considers this kind of trafficking to be "hostile acts," Rumsfeld said, "and will hold the government of Syria accountable for such shipments." The movement of military materiel and equipment between Syria and Iraq "vastly complicates our situation," he added.

Asked more about the Badr Corps, Rumsfeld said there are reports of numbers in the hundreds operating in Iraq and more on the other side of the border. He described the corps as "the military wing of the Supreme Council on Islamic Revolution in Iraq" and said it is "trained, equipped and directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard." But "the entrance into Iraq by military forces, intelligence personnel or proxies not under the direct operational control of [U.S. Central Command Commander] General [Tommy] Franks will be taken as a potential threat to coalition forces," he said.

The Syrian government denied categorically Rumsfeld's allegations.

An official source at the Syrian foreign ministry said "Once again the US defense secretary provokes the humanitarian feelings at a time when his forces are committing crimes of an ugly war against unarmed civilians in Iraq where hundreds of children, and women are killed, houses are demolished and civilians are arrested." The statement added "Now and after the failure of Rumsfeld's allegations of a clean and quick victory, ( Rumsfeld) tries to justify the failue of his forces -- one time because of the weather condition and another time by accusing others of smuggling equipment for Iraq."

The statement added that "the invading forces which are launching a flagrant aggression against the secure Iraqi people so far have not achieved just destruction of civilians establishments, houses, bombardment of markets, hospitals, museums, food warehouses, civilian busses and ambulances.." The statement concluded by saying that "what Rumsfeld stated of transporting equipment from Syria to Iraq is an attempt to cover-up what is committed by his forces against civilians in Iraq, which constitute a violation to the principles of the International Humanitarian Law." For her part, the spokeswoman for the Syrian foreign ministry Butheina Shaaban said that Rumsfeld only brings problems for his country and for humanity in general. She added "it is an irresponsible and groundless statement."

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