US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has returned to the tone of attacking Syria and adding fuel to the US "unjust campaign" by holding Syria once again responsible for the armed activities in Iraq, Syria said on Saturday. Tishrin daily wrote that Rumsfeld alleged that the Syrian leaders are acting unwisely and so Syria will remain on the list of terrorism for a number of years.
The daily said that Rumsfeld's accusations came during his address before the Foreign Relations Council in Los Angeles . He said that Syria is unhelpful but is a cause of harm to the situation in Iraq, and that the Syrians refused to return the Iraqi funds they already have.
In this context he also said that the Syrian provided shelter and played a host to the members of Iraqi former regime who escaped to Syria and have resumed their activities from Syrian and financing some of armed men who have been crossing the borders from Syria.
The daily pointed out that although Syria has repeatedly announced its readiness to cooperate with the United States and handed hundreds of detainees to their countries before they entered Iraq, yet Rumsfeld is alleging that Syria is acting unwisely presently and advised that the United States and other countries should pressure Syria until the Syrian leaders are aware of the danger of their actions.
The daily added that strangely enough, Rumsfeld has acknowledged that the US army is facing a standoff in Iraq and that more troops are needed to promote the political process in Iraq. He then contradicted himself again and said that the aim is to reduce the number of troops in proportion with the progress of the political process in Iraq.
