| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front |
| Richard Perle notes âbig problemsâ with Saudi Arabia and Syria |
| 2004-01-13 |
| An advisor to Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, told CNN on Sunday: âThe Saudis qualify for their own membership in the axis of evil,â which President George W Bush described as Iran, Saddam Husseinâs Iraq and North Korea. âI hope that those who believe that we are now getting full cooperation are right,â he added, referring to Saudi Arabiaâs role in the war on terror following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. âI have yet to see the evidence,â Perle charged in the latest assault on the kingdom by influential US neo-conservatives. He said that the United States had âbig problemsâ with Syria which allowed terrorists to enter Iraq via its territory. âOne of the things theyâre (the Syrians) doing is facilitating the entry into Iraq of terrorists who are there to kill Americans,â Richard Perle told CNN. âTheyâre holding on to money that belongs to the people of Iraq. And theyâre building chemical weapons, at least. So we have big problems with the Syrians.â On January 5, Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara said he wanted to see improved relations between Washington and Syria following the US adoption of legislation paving the way for unilateral sanctions against his government. Syrian media on Saturday called for Washington to wield its influence and help revive peace talks with Israel that collapsed in acrimony four years ago. But, said Perle, the Syrians âfrom time to time, will throw us a crumb, a piece of intelligence here, or theyâll take a minor step there. And they hope, and in the past theyâve sometimes been right, that that that will deflect us from what ought to be our course, which is a real change in their policy.â |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #7 Jeez OP. I'll go for the 2 Army divsion... but another Marine Brigade (or two)? Operation Olympic was cancelled in 1946 :> Frankly my theory is that Iraq is about the largest country that can be dealt with by conventional US forces... anything less (SA) we're good to go... anthing larger (IRAN) we're good to go.... using all available means. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-1-13 9:20:20 PM |
| #6 I still fault Rumsfeld for not already working to strengthen the US Military. We need at LEAST two more divisions of Army and another brigade-size unit or two in the Marines. We need at LEAST another Air wing or two, and probably two additional Navy carrier air groups. We need to double the size of the National Guard and Reserve forces, at least on paper, with the goal in mind of filling all those slots within ten years or so. Unfortunately, it takes from one to two years to recruit, equip, supply, and train a new division. We needed to have started on 9/11/01. If we had, we'd have at least two additional divisions we could rotate through Iraq NOW, gaining experience in fighting Arab military and para-military forces. We'd have the manpower and equipment to push simultaneously through Syria and Iran, before needing to stop and regroup, rearm, and rest before heading further east, west, and south. The War on Terrorism is going to be long, bloody, and difficult. We need adequate manpower to do it right. The sooner we start the military buildup, the better. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-13 7:58:03 PM |
| #5 Only in the US media could obvious statements be portrayed as 'controversial.' |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-1-13 11:56:51 AM |
| #4 So what do we have here ? 1. Iraq has made it through the hardest part and will clearly continue to improve. 2. Time to lay out the strategies for the next phase. Any volunteers ? Syria ? Is that you in the back ? Come on up to the front of the class. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2004-1-13 11:40:30 AM |
| #3 Wonder if the rotation through Incirlik rather than Kuwait is meant to put additional pressure on Syria? |
| Posted by: Sharon in NYC 2004-1-13 9:23:34 AM |
| #2 That's the thing about these two bit tyrants like Assad, Noriega, etc., etc. They are like little yappy dogs. Most of the big dogs run off with their tails tucked, when they rush forward snapping and snarling. The problem for yappy dogs is that they are in a really bad position when the big dog decides to snarl and snap back. We've snarled - he's been warned we're going to snap. I'm guessing he's just going to keep annoying us until we do. |
| Posted by: B 2004-1-13 8:20:25 AM |
| #1 Didn't we also have âbig problemsâ with Iraq and Afganistan? |
| Posted by: ed 2004-1-13 12:58:07 AM |