Israel’s airstrike on Syria still creating political puzzlement

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) held a discussion on “Israel’s Airstrike on Syria’s Nuclear Reactor: Preventive War and the Nonproliferation Regime.” In September of 2007, Israel attacked what was rumored to be a partially constructed nuclear facility in Syria, and this facility has remained a subject of speculation in the months following the attack. Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, explained that there was very little information pertaining to this Syrian site immediately after the raid. Now, seven months after the fact, Kimball said U.S. intelligence believes that the site was a small nuclear facility under construction for Syrian military purposes.

David Albright, the president of the Institute for Science and International Security, said that Israel’s airstrike on Syria is a very strange and almost bizarre issue. Albright said that there was no doubt in his mind that a plutonium producing nuclear reactor was being constructed in Syria. He explained that there had been too much debate on whether a reactor was present and not enough discussion on whether Israel should have attacked the site in the first place. Albright also said that The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not been paying enough attention to illicit nuclear trading; evidence had been obtained showing that Syria had used a North Korean trading company in order to get ahold of the nuclear materials needed for the facility.

Avner Cohen, a senior fellow at USIP, agreed with Albright and said the situation was “quite bizarre” and caused a lot of political puzzlement. Cohen explained that this attack was similar to Israel’s attack on Iraq in 1981, but also very different. In 1981, Cohen said that Israel attacked the Iraqi-an site on their own and acknowledged, defended, and justified their actions after the fact. The 2007 attack on Syria, however, was accomplished with communication with North Korea, and was not acknowledged. Cohen explained that not only did Israel not acknowledge the attack, but Syria also said nothing and made no complaints other than an air space violation. According to Cohen, this response of a “very loud silence” is the main difference between the two Israeli-an attacks.

Leonard Spector, the deputy director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, talked about the attacks correlation with Iran. He said that the deliberate silence following the incident does not serve as a “green light” for taking action in Iran. Spector also talked about the Six Party talks and explained that though these talks are making progress, they are still “a far way from home.” Spector said that construction of the nuclear site in Syria was under way during the Six Party talks and nuclear exports with North Korea were taking place during these talks.

Deputy Prime Minister of Israel urges cooperation among moderates

Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Haim Ramon spoke at the 20th annual Soref Symposium. He spoke on the challenges facing Israel currently and some of its recent conflicts. He said that in the past the major challenge facing Israel has been the Israel Palestine conflict. Ramon however, said that currently the most important conflict is between moderate ideals and radical Islam in the Middle East.

He spoke on Syria and said that in order to understand Syria one must judge their actions and not their words. He said at times Syria has been supportive of peace with Israel but they still continue to support radical Islam. Ramon went on to say that the Doha Agreement was a victory for Syria because it strengthened Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He said that the main problem the international community is facing is lack of cooperation. Ramon said that in order to defeat radical Islam all moderate nations must cooperate against the radicals, because they are the biggest threat to freedom and democracy in the Middle East.

Ramon also outlined four issues that were key in the Israel Palestinian peace process. They include: the Palestine Israel border, Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and security arrangements. These four issues are part of the two state solution that the Deputy Prime Minister supported in his speech. The solution calls for two states, with Jerusalem in both.

AEI panel on tense situation in Lebanon

The American Enterprise Institute hosted a panel on Lebanon highlighting many of the issues affecting the country. The panel consisted of Danielle Pletka and Michael Rubin of AEI, Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group, Lee Smith of the Hudson Institute, and Hassan Mneimneh, Iraq Memory Foundation.

Hassan began by giving a brief history of the two governing bodies within Lebanon. He said that since the 1970's the country of Lebanon has been functioning under two different governments, one that is pro western influence, and one that is aligned with Syria and Iran, called Hezbollah.

Smith said that the fight for Lebanon is not over, that Hezbollah has been stopped in the north and the south. Smith said that the peace talks between Syria and Israel will play part in the continued conflict in Lebanon and the U.S. needs to broker these talks if they want any sort of presence in the middle east.

Malley talked mostly of news from the last two weeks in Lebanon, along with his opinions on U.S. involvement. He said that there have been three recent events in Lebanon that should concern the U.S. He said the Doha Agreement, the peace talks between Syria and Israel, and Egypt's failure to broker a peace deal between Israel and Syria were losses for the U.S. campaign in the Middle East.

Pletka said that the U.S. doesn't necessarily need to create a new policy for Lebanon, but needs to work on implementation of the current policy. She said that Iran and Syria send foreign ministers to Lebanon on a regular basis and the U.S. rarely sends a representative of that caliber. She said that in order to influence politics in the Lebanon the U.S. must have a presence in Lebanon

White House Gaggle, April 23, 2008

Briefer: Dana Perino
By: Ellen Ratner


Schedule:

The President had a private meeting with the King of Jordan in the dining room off the Oval Office. On the King’s visit, Dana said that the President had lots vested in mideast peace talks and that it was good that leaders could talk frankly with the President. He had his usual briefings and then will give the Medal of Honor to Dr. DeBakey. Later he has a photo op with Johns Hopkins donors, and then he will give the Baldridge Award.

Taxes:

The White House wants people to know that it is important for every taxpayer to fill out 1040A form so that they will get a stimulus rebate. This is available for anyone who makes $3,000 plus per year.

North Korea and the Syrians:

Dana said that they would continue to brief members of Congress on national intelligence.

Equal Pay Bill:

Dana would not comment on the bill or if the President would veto as she said they might not be able to get the votes for cloture in the Senate.

Pakistan:

Dana would not comment on reports that the Pakistani government is working with the Taliban militants. She said however that they are “concerned about these types of approaches.”

President’s Remarks Yesterday on Economy:

Dana said that we don’t know what this period is yet and we do not have the data yet, and that the President wants more robust growth in the country.

Farm Bill:

There may be a push for a one-year extension if they can’t get it done.

House Committee hearing on U.S. Response to Iraqi Refugee Crisis

At the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on "Neglected Responsibilities: The U.S. Response to the Iraqi Refugee Crisis," Chairman Gary L. Ackerman, (D-NY) said Congress increased to 5000 the number of Special Immigrant Visas available to Iraqis who worked for the United States. However, in terms of refugees, only 1,608 were resettled during Fiscal Year 2007. In order to reach the goal of 12,000 refugees resettled during this Fiscal Year, he said, the Administration would have to triple the number of refugees processed each month. A year later, and we have yet to "seize the moment" in terms of rehabilitating the image of the United States in the Middle East.

Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) said that is it not the job of the United States to subsidize refugees in Jordan or anywhere else, if they are able to go home. We should do our best, he said, in our ability to help assist them in Iraq.

Congressman William Delahunt (D-MA) said the reality of Iraqis living outside of Iraq is they cannot return because conditions do not exist for their return. They cannot go home, he said, or they'd be killed. Our response should also work to prevent further erosion of how we are viewed in the Middle East. If we are concerned about terrorism, he said, it's in our national interest to "step up." If the vast numbers of refugees are not treated with respect, it will be the new "breeding ground" for terrorists.

James B. Foley, Senior Coordinator of Iraqi Refugee Issues, U.S. Department of State, said third country resettlement is for the desperate people that cannot go home even if they want to. However, he said, we can begin "in country" processing, thanks to a more secure Iraq. About one hundred Iraqis are being processed in Baghdad currently. A second reason we can begin processing is that Syria has recognized that humanitarian goals need to be reached. We are doing everything we can, he said, and we are committed to processing refugees right where they are located in Iraq. On a large scale it is daunting in regards to logistical steps and security, he said, but they will move as fast as possible.