Wow, talk about some strong words here. Rice says that President Bush does not need to ask congress before attacking Syria or Iran. No offence to the Bush camp, but this goes way too far. Congress authorized the US to engage Iraq and Iraq only. I do not feel good with any president using troops from operation to start another without proper authorization. Plus the US military is strained enough just by fighting Iraq. Any more conflicts will put on hell of ahurt on the US armed forces.

Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refused to rule using the military option against Syria and Iran, repeating pervious claims that both countries are aiding the occupation resistance in Iraq, according to Boston News.

In her three hours of testimony, the Secretary of State said that Iraq war is part of a long-term agenda that might take more than a decade to achieve.

President Bush wont’ need the Congress authorization to use military force against Iraq's neighbors, Rice said.

''I don't want to try and circumscribe presidential war powers," Rice said when asked whether the administration would have to return to Congress to seek authorization in using the military option against Iraq’s neighbours.'

'I think you'll understand fully that the president retains those powers in the 'war on terrorism' and in the war in Iraq."

''Syria and indeed Iran must decide whether they wish to side with the cause of war or with the cause of peace," Rice told senators.

However Rice showed more flexibility toward Iran, leaving the door open to the possibility that the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, could initiate direct negotiations with his Iranian counterparts.

Rice tried once again selling the Iraq war to the increasingly skeptical U.S. politicians – Democrats and Republicans, ABC NEWS reported.

But she was faced with an attack of tough questions from both Democrats and Republicans.

''Under the Iraq War Resolution, we restricted any military action to Iraq," Senator Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Rhode Island Republican, reminded Rice.

''So would you agree that if anything were to occur on Syrian or Iranian soil," Chafee said, ''you would have to return to Congress to get that authorization?"

Rice replied that the president did not need new authorization.

Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd pressed her for details on what the U.S. plans do about Syria.

"Is there a White House Syrian group, for instance, that's meeting? Are we planning some action in Syria that we ought to be aware of in this committee?- Are we considering military action against Syria?," Dodd said.

"I'm not going to get into what the President's options might be," she replied.

http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/new...ervice_id=9891

Probably not the wisest thing to say. I seriously doubt they would want to occupy Syria, though.

I think Syria is in a pre-revolution era

Originally Posted by phoenix80

I think Syria is in a pre-revolution era

Really? What do you base this on?

Originally Posted by Chocobo_Blitzer

Really? What do you base this on?

Well, Choco... a couple of days ago Voice Of America had an interview with a mideast expert (right wing guy from Iran) and he said there is a growing pressure on Assad to start some sort of reforms and that bunch of statesmen wrote him that if he doesnt begin to do so, he will end up being overthrown soon.

And he compared Syria of today with Iran of 1978.

Syria's opposition groups call for reform

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldle...d/12948349.htm

Syrian reform would deflect U.S. pressure -opposition

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L20439163.htm

Syria's Opposition Unites Behind a Call for Democratic Changes

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/20/in...t/20syria.html

Hope these links help!

What are the chances Assad volenteering to give up power? I dont particularily care for the Government of Syria but there are worse things then Assad. Syria becoming a fundimentalist nation like Iran for example...

Assad is the lesser of two evils...

I agree with mmarsh on this one. At least Assad is a known quantity and predictable.