US still holds Syrian Border Guards

Pentagon Delays Releasing 5 Syrians Hurt in U.S. Raid
By DOUGLAS JEHL and ERIC SCHMITT

WASHINGTON, June 27 — The Defense Department has delayed the release of five Syrian border guards wounded last week in an American attack on an Iraqi convoy near the Syrian border, American officials said today.

This delay has come despite objections from Syria, the United States State Department and even American military officers on the ground, the officials said.

................

Administration officials attributed the delay to civilians at the Pentagon who wanted the guards to be questioned more extensively. An official said the delay did not seem to be based on hard evidence that the Syrian guards had assisted the Iraqi convoy that was the target of the American attack

Tell me again how that Task Force 20 convoy was targeted by accident.

How incredibly irresponsible. The Syrians did nothing wrong. We shot them, probably in Syria. This is akin to taking hostages.

Does Rumsfeld think remotely piloted planes from Nevada can prevent even more kidnappings. The Syrians have assets in Iraq we have little idea about. A thuggish attempt to bully them without thinking about the consequences.

This is playing with fire.

Steve Gilliard

Posted June 28, 2003 02:21 AM | Comments (49)