ANALYSIS: Iraqi-Syrian relations turn sour, verbal war continues (DPA)

From Monsters and Critics.com
Middle East News

By Pakinam Amer
Feb 5, 2007, 19:35 GMT

Baghdad/Cairo - Expectations that Syria would prove a 'caring neighbour' and peace partner for war-torn Iraq were dashed after Iraqi politicians accused Damascus of sheltering militants and aiding terrorist groups in Iraq.

'Around half of the murderers and bombers are radicals who come through Syria, Iraqi cabinet spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters Sunday adding, 'We have the evidence to prove it.'

Al-Dabbagh's allegations echoed accusations repeatedly voiced by US policy makers and implying that the attacks in Iraq occur with both the knowledge and consent of Syrian officials.

Iraq cannot afford to sever relations with its neighbours and in the worst-case scenario, it increases the possibility of a fully- fledged civil war, not just in Iraq but in the entire region.

The terrorists arrive via the Syrian borders, al-Dabbagh confirmed. MP Sami al-Askary said their entrance was 'continuous especially from Syria.'

The war of words between Iraq and Syria began Sunday, following a string of attacks across Baghdad. On Sunday, a truck bomb attack rocked a busy market in Baghdad killing more than 130 Iraqis, mostly Shiites, and wounding over 300.

The incident sent shockwaves through Shiite communities; even high-ranking Sunni authorities rushed to express their condolences and dodge responsibility.

Top Iraqi officials were quick to blame Syria. They accused the country of having a 'loose grip' on Syrian-Iraqi borders, and also charged that the country was financing terrorist groups within Iraq as well as facilitating their entry.

Iraqi authorities say Syria is also turning a blind eye to weapons smuggling into Iraqi territories.

During President Jalal Talabani's visit to Damascus, Syria had earlier responded that the porous desert land forming the long borderline between Iraq and Syria was almost impossible to control.

Adding insult to injury, the remarks came as hundreds of thousands of Iraqis seeking refuge from the anarchy in their own land fought Syrian restrictions on them. Al-Dabbagh had deemed Syria 'antagonistic' and unreceptive towards 'real' and legal refugees.

Syrian authorities vehemently and quickly denied any responsibility for the turmoil and lashed out at the 'fraudulent' allegations that Syrian intelligence was harassing legitimate Iraqi refugees.

Mohammed Habash, an Islamist and a Syrian MP, told al-Arabiya television that such remarks enticed 'hostility' in the region and were baseless.

'What has Syria got to do with the bombing of a vegetable market in Iraq? There is an American or Israeli hand to this,' Habash said.

After almost a quarter of a century of cool relations, in November 2006, the anti-US Syrian government, backed by Iran, started forging an alliance with Iraq, arguably attempting to act as a power broker and pressuring the US to start a dialogue in a bid to curb the unrest in Iraq.

Syrian intentions were not kept clandestine. Both Iranian and Syrian leaders told reporters that Western States had to be willing to talk to Iraq's neighbours.

Syria has also exchanged ambassadors with Iraq and Iran. The latter has been keen to draw Syria into a Tehran-based summit on the violence in Iraq. In January, President Talabini visited Damascus, signing a series of agreements - a first in decades.

But the contentment of Tehran and Damascus did not last for long because of the Iraqi officials' verbal attacks.

Only a few hours after the fiery accusation, Syrian news and pan- Arab TV channels quoted authorities saying that an 'Iraqi truck' loaded with explosives and arms had attempted to cross into Syria via the Lebanese border. The so-called smuggling attempt was immediately foiled, authorities said.

There is a message in this piece of news, which was timed with the accusations.

Damascus could be implying two things: that they are actually clamping down on would-be terrorists or that its very own territories are equally threatened by Iraqi militants trying to slip into Syria, then possibly into Iraq through the joint border.

Perhaps, it is a sign of goodwill that Syria is acting on information regarding militancy or an act of hostility. Baghdad, however, has not responded to the incident - and is not likely to.

Despite firing back, the Syrians continue to signal 'tolerance' to Iraqi authorities saying Monday they were still ready to broker peace in their neighbouring country.

Syria apparently wants to influence the Iraqi insurgency as 'a gambling card.'

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