thedrifter
04-17-03, 05:25 PM
U.S. would enter Syria
to track down Saddam
Report: Special Forces plan to pursue, kill Hussein if they receive intel on whereabouts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 17, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Despite the possibility of breaching international law, an official at U.S. Central Command said American Special Forces would go into Syria on a "snatch and shoot" mission against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if they were to receive "credible intelligence" that he was hiding there, reports the London Times.
"We respect international law," the official told the paper. "But if it was the ace of spades, it would be different."
The Pentagon recently released a deck of playing cards in which each card bears the image of a wanted top Iraqi official. Saddam is featured on the ace of spades.
The senior source told the Times that the forces hunting Iraqi officials have been told to respect Syria's borders – unless the quarry of the hunt is Saddam.
U.S. commanders would justify the action under the doctrine of "hot pursuit," said the report, the disputed theory that soldiers who are in the act of hunting a terrorist suspect are allowed under international law to enter a foreign country without permission.
British officers publicly opposed the plan.
"By the very nature (of international law) you should not go crossing international borders in an illegal manner," a British military spokesman told the Times.
Farouk Hijazi, the former head of the overseas arm of Saddam's secret police and the ex-dictator's ambassador to Tunisia, reportedly has flown to Damascus. He is suspected of playing a key role in Saddam's plot to assassinate President George Bush Sr. when he visited Kuwait in 1993.
U.S. officials said this week that several Iraqi officials fled to Syria before the fall of Baghdad on April 9.
"There are indications that many are hiding in Iraq, potentially some could have gone over to Syria," a U.S. defense official told Reuters.
"They [Syria] have been known to be supportive of the Iraqi regime. It would be a logical conclusion that some of the Iraqi families would be welcome or at least tolerated in Syria," the official said.
There has been increasing speculation this week that the U.S. is considering taking some sort of action against Syria after President Bush accused it of having chemical weapons Sunday, warning Damascus it "must cooperate" with the U.S. as it continues replacing the Baghdad regime.
United States officials also reiterated recently that Syria is well-known for supporting terrorists.
"Being on the terrorist list is not some place I'd want to be," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who at the outset of the current conflict accused Syria of channeling military equipment including night-vision goggles to Iraq. He says there is "no question" that some top members of Saddam's regime had fled north to Syria.
"We think it would be very unwise if suddenly Syria becomes a haven for all these people who should be brought to justice who are trying to get out of Baghdad," said Secretary of State Colin Powell. "Syria has been a concern for a long period of time. We have designated Syria for years as a state sponsor of terrorism."
The Times points out that a Special Forces operation targeting Saddam would prevent protracted diplomatic wrangling with Syria over his fate should he turn up inside the country.
Sempers,
Roger
to track down Saddam
Report: Special Forces plan to pursue, kill Hussein if they receive intel on whereabouts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 17, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Despite the possibility of breaching international law, an official at U.S. Central Command said American Special Forces would go into Syria on a "snatch and shoot" mission against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if they were to receive "credible intelligence" that he was hiding there, reports the London Times.
"We respect international law," the official told the paper. "But if it was the ace of spades, it would be different."
The Pentagon recently released a deck of playing cards in which each card bears the image of a wanted top Iraqi official. Saddam is featured on the ace of spades.
The senior source told the Times that the forces hunting Iraqi officials have been told to respect Syria's borders – unless the quarry of the hunt is Saddam.
U.S. commanders would justify the action under the doctrine of "hot pursuit," said the report, the disputed theory that soldiers who are in the act of hunting a terrorist suspect are allowed under international law to enter a foreign country without permission.
British officers publicly opposed the plan.
"By the very nature (of international law) you should not go crossing international borders in an illegal manner," a British military spokesman told the Times.
Farouk Hijazi, the former head of the overseas arm of Saddam's secret police and the ex-dictator's ambassador to Tunisia, reportedly has flown to Damascus. He is suspected of playing a key role in Saddam's plot to assassinate President George Bush Sr. when he visited Kuwait in 1993.
U.S. officials said this week that several Iraqi officials fled to Syria before the fall of Baghdad on April 9.
"There are indications that many are hiding in Iraq, potentially some could have gone over to Syria," a U.S. defense official told Reuters.
"They [Syria] have been known to be supportive of the Iraqi regime. It would be a logical conclusion that some of the Iraqi families would be welcome or at least tolerated in Syria," the official said.
There has been increasing speculation this week that the U.S. is considering taking some sort of action against Syria after President Bush accused it of having chemical weapons Sunday, warning Damascus it "must cooperate" with the U.S. as it continues replacing the Baghdad regime.
United States officials also reiterated recently that Syria is well-known for supporting terrorists.
"Being on the terrorist list is not some place I'd want to be," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who at the outset of the current conflict accused Syria of channeling military equipment including night-vision goggles to Iraq. He says there is "no question" that some top members of Saddam's regime had fled north to Syria.
"We think it would be very unwise if suddenly Syria becomes a haven for all these people who should be brought to justice who are trying to get out of Baghdad," said Secretary of State Colin Powell. "Syria has been a concern for a long period of time. We have designated Syria for years as a state sponsor of terrorism."
The Times points out that a Special Forces operation targeting Saddam would prevent protracted diplomatic wrangling with Syria over his fate should he turn up inside the country.
Sempers,
Roger