Axis of Evil Countries (and Prospective Members) in the News

A rather objective column on Iran's nuclear capabilities, by Ran Halevi, can be found in the newspaper of reference.

Wanting to explore "a myth", the English National Opera seems to be preparing a Springtime for Kaddhafi, RV informs us, while directing us towards Syria which, besides attempting to sign an arms deal for Russia's SA-18, may soon be, according to GPF, the target of an American air strike.

Referring to the escalating attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq by Iraqi insurgents, [a former senior U.S. intelligence official told United Press International that] "Syria is complicit in the (anti-U.S.) insurgency up to its eyeballs."

"Syria is the No. 1 crossing point" for guerrillas entering Iraq," Gary Gambill, editor of the Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, said. He added that Damascus "does nothing about it." An administration official said Syria has "camps in which Syrians are training Iraqis for the insurgency and others where Iraqis are training Syrians for the same purpose" which could be hit by U.S. air strikes.

… Recently, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said that senior Baath Party officials from Iraq are operating from Syria where they provide financing and direction to the cells of Iraqi insurgents killing Americans …

U.S. officials told United Press International that money, direction, weapons and personnel are flowing into Iraq from Syria, ending up in Iraqi cities such as Iskanderiya, Baqouba, Latafiya and Fallujah.

… In addition to Syria being used as a rear area for insurgents, it is a key center of finance for former Saddam Hussein officials who are leading the insurgency, thanks to stashes of Iraqi cash that could run as high as $3 billion, which is all in the Syrian banking system, according for former and serving administration officials. There are also allegedly "many millions of dollars" from Palestinian groups flowing into Syria that are also being used to help finance anti-American guerrilla groups in Iraq, these sources said.

And how about doing an Iraqi Freedom, swooping in, and getting rid of the entire régime, once and for all? Indeed, couldn't that have been done in April or May 2003, and in less than the three weeks it took to topple Saddam? (Wishful thinking…)