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| Rumsfeld warns against sheltering al-Zarqawi |
| 2005-06-02 |
| Admonition was sternest yet by U.S.; appeared to be aimed at Syria and Iran. Ya think? WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld warned Iraq's neighbors Wednesday against providing medical treatment or safe haven to Iraq's most-wanted insurgent, Jordanian fugitive Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Rumsfeld did not specify consequences or name a country, but the warning appeared intended for Syria and also may have been aimed at Iran. U.S. intelligence analysts now say they believe al-Zarqawi was injured near the Syrian border in mid-May, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the same Pentagon news conference. Iranian officials recently denied a news report that he had gone there for treatment, and Rumsfeld said the guerrilla chief is assumed to be in Iraq. "Were a neighboring country to take him in and provide medical assistance or haven for him, they obviously would be associating themselves with a major linkage in the al-Qaida network, and a person who has a great deal of blood on his hands," Rumsfeld said. "And that's something that people would want to take note of." Was he sharpening a knife when he said this? The warning, among the sternest yet from the administration, seemed intended to intensify pressure on Iran and Syria, which the White House has accused of turning a blind eye to fighters and funds crossing into Iraq. The Jordanian extremist, who has taunted American and Iraqi forces with Internet and video messages, is believed to be the most senior coordinator of bombing attacks throughout Iraq. Officials with the Syrian Embassy in Washington did not return calls seeking comment. We're...ummmmmmmmmmmmmm...busy. Checking flights out of Damascus for...ummmmmmmmmm...somebody. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #3 For some reason, whenever the SecDef makes a pronouncement like this, I picture Darth Rumsfeld saying "Your lack of helpfulness is ....disturbing." |
| Posted by: SteveS 2005-06-02 22:02 |
| #2 Check Khaled Meshaal's guest house. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-06-02 16:37 |
| #1 I think Syria is more likely than Iran at this point. |
| Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-06-02 15:52 |