The Assyrian Democratic Organization
Damascus – AFP — Syria on Sunday took aim at Washington’s latest measures against the Damascus regime after the White House barred a number of Syrians and Lebanese accused of destabilising Lebanon from entering the United States.
The ban announced Friday comes as administration of US President George W. Bush seeks to further fortify Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora’s government against pro-Syrian forces seeking to recover power in the country.
“The Bush administration’s policy is to try to fix its mistakes by committing new errors. The new pressures on Syria are the latest in a series of errors by the United States,” wrote Syria’s official Ath-Thawra newspaper.
“Today the Americans are in trouble (in Iraq) so they make lots of gaffes, particularly in their behaviour towards Syria.”
The US blacklist includes Syrian military intelligence chief Assef Shawkat, an advisor to President Bashar al-Assad, Hisham Ikhtiyar as well as two senior Syrian military intelligence officials, Rustam Ghazali and Jamaa Jamaa.
On the Lebanese side, the list includes former defence minister Abdul Rahim Mrad, former labour ministers Assad Hardan and Assan Qanso, former minister of information Michel Samaha, and former environment minister Wiam Wahhab.
“This is a tool that the United States has to demonstrate to Syria our desire for them to stop meddling in Lebanon, to demonstrate to Syria and those who want to destabilise the democratically elected government of Lebanon, that we will continue to increase pressure until they suspend their activity,” said White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
