Powell might stop in Damascus

Israeli news said yesterday that the US Secretary Of State Colin Powell might pay a quick and urgent visit to Syria on the background of pressure by the US defense department to put an end to diplomacy and to direct a military attack against Syria.

News reports said that the defense department recommended, on the background of the discussions held in the American administration, to use force against Syria after the US embassy in Damascus submitted a report saying that the "Syrians did nothing against the Palestinian organizations since Powell's recent visit to Damascus."

The source said that National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is the one who stands currently in the face of the attempt to move to military action against Syria. The source added that these attempts are behind Powell's thinking to visit Damascus with the aim to explain to the Syrian leadership that "the time for diplomacy is not unlimited."