Obama promised U.S. reconciliation with Syria

WASHINGTON - Presidential-elect Barack Obama has pledged to improve U.S. relations with Syria and Egypt. Read more

U.S. security chief says cross-border raids necessary

LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A country should have the right to attack another if it is harbouring a potential terrorist threat, the U.S. homeland security chief said in remarks appearing to justify recent U.S. raids in Pakistan and Syria.

Laying out what amounts to a broadened definition of self-defence, Michael Chertoff said international law should accommodate a country’s need to deter a possible threat abroad even if it meant taking pre-emptive action.

His remarks, at a discussion on democracy held in the British parliament, follow recent secret raids by U.S. forces into Pakistan and Syria that were justified using a similiar rationale and drew condemnation from those countries. Read more

US embassy shut as Syrians protest over deadly raid

The US embassy in Syria shut its doors on Thursday as thousands marched through Damascus to protest at a deadly American raid on a village near the Iraqi border that Syria branded a barbaric act.

Security was boosted around the area housing the US embassy, which decided to close because of the potential threat of violence, although demonstrators stayed away from the mission.

“Colonialists, listen, the people of Syria will never be brought to their knees,” cried youths as they massed in the city centre, waving Syrian flags and pictures of President Bashar al-Assad. Read more

Syria demands US apology and compensation for cross-border raid that killed 8

Syria demanded Wednesday that the U.S. and Iraq apologize for an American commando raid mounted from Iraqi territory that killed eight people.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad denied U.S. claims that the helicopter raid by special forces Sunday killed a top al-Qaida in Iraq operative who was about to conduct an attack in Iraq.

“We ask of them (Iraqis) and the Americans to investigate and provide us with the background for such a criminal, terrorist act against an independent state … (and) make an official apology for this aggression and pledge not to repeat it,” Mekdad told The Associated Press in an interview. “What is required of the American government is to confess to this aggression and not be cowardly,” he added. Read more

US-led aggression in Syria triggers bigger sales of Russian arms

The conflict in Iraq is no longer restricted with its borders. The USA committed an act of aggression against Syria. Spokespeople for the US administration justify their actions with the notorious struggle against terrorism. Washington thus continues to unite Islamic countries against the United States. Following the US-led incursion, Syria decided to expand the list of weapons which the country purchases from Russia. Read more

U.S. Calls Raid a Warning to Syria

Copter-Borne Troops Targeted Key Iraqi Insurgent, Officials Say

U.S. troops in helicopters flew four miles into Syrian territory over the weekend to target the leader of a network that channels foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq, killing or wounding him and shooting dead several armed men, U.S. officials said Monday. Read more

US Congressman denounces US military operation in Syria

The US Congressman Dennis Kucinich has denounced the recent US military operation on Syrian soil and has tied it to the forthcoming presidential election in the United States. Sabre-rattling and striking at sovereign nations that have not attacked us is unacceptable, he says in a statement for the press. Kucinich points out that he has from the outset opposed the US Iraq war and continues to object to keeping the US troops in the Arab country. Read more

US military stages raid into Syria

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States mounted a rare cross-border raid into Syria to kill the head of a smuggling network feeding arms and foreign fighters to Iraq, a US official said Monday, signaling a more aggressive approach to insurgent sanctuaries. Read more

Syria Condemns US Attack as “Serious Aggression”

An unnamed US military official has confirmed the attack on the Syrian border town of al-Sukkariya earlier this evening, which killed at least eight and wounded 14 others. He said the attack targeted “elements of a robust foreign fighter logistics network” and that the US had decided to take matters “into our own hands.” US Marines Major General John Kelly had recently expressed discontent with Syria’s slow progress on constructing a physical barrier at the border, though as recently as Thursday he described security incidents in the border province as so uncommon as to be “almost meaningless,” making the timing of the attack puzzling. Read more

US soldiers attacked building inside Syria: report

DAMASCUS (AFP) - American helicopter-borne troops launched an assault on Sunday on a building in a Syrian border village with Iraq, killing eight civilians, official Syrian media reported.

“Four American helicopters violated Syrian airspace around 16:45 local time (1345 GMT) on Sunday,” state television and the official SANA news agency said.

“American soldiers” who had emerged from helicopters “attacked a civilian building under construction and fired at workmen inside, causing eight deaths,” the reports said. Read more

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