SCUDS for Hizbollah

[Chris Cram]

From the Archives: October 19, 2009

Hezbollah Gets SCUDS
October 19, 2009: Arab media in the Persian Gulf have been reporting that Syria, apparently on the orders of Iran, has turned over about 300 long range ballistic missiles to Hezbollah control. The missiles have apparently not left Syria (they would be hard to miss, being driven around southern Lebanon). The reports add that Hezbollah personnel are being trained to operate the missiles.


http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htart/articles/20091019.aspx?comments=Y

04/11/2010
US Weapons to Lebanon Despite Hizbullah Closeness
With the dividing lines between Hizbullah and the Lebanese Armed Forces not altogether clear, the United States has delivered weapons and ammunition to Israel's northern neighbor and thereby possibly to its enemy.
The U.S. embassy in Lebanon announced last week that on April 2 it had delivered the first in a series of shipments of weapons and ammunition. The shipment included 1,000 M16A4 rifles, 10 missile launchers, 1,583 grenade launchers, and 538 sets of day/night binoculars and night-vision devices. It was stressed that the equipment would be supported with training provided by the U.S. government.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136938

Todays News: April 13, 2010

Syria is providing Hizbullah terrorists in Lebanon with the Scud missiles that traumatized Israel in the 1991 Gulf War, and a "Scud Crisis" is threatening to ignite an all-out war between Israel and Hizbullah, the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper reported.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136986

Israeli President Shimon Peres accused Syria on Tuesday of supplying Scud missiles to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah while publicly talking peace....

Israel estimates Hezbollah’s arsenal at some 40,000 rockets, a significant rise from the group’s 14,000 rockets in 2006, when the 34-day conflict killed 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and more than 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

It says the stockpile includes rockets with a range of more than 300 kilometres (116 miles), capable of reaching major Israeli population centres, including Tel Aviv .
http://www.yalibnan.com/2010/04/13/israel-syria-is-talking-peace-while-supplying-scuds-to-hezbollah/

Lebanon complains to UN over Israeli border violationSyria arms Hezbollah with Scud missiles: Israel
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/04/13/105734.html

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More at the WSJ:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304604204575182290135333282.html?m od=WSJ_WSJ_US_World



Over at the State Dept.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/4/140229.htm

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
April 14, 2010


....QUESTION: Yeah, on the Middle East. Again, these reports about the Syrians moving Scud missiles into southern Lebanon and are giving them to Hezbollah have emerged. Senator McCain raised the issue at the hearing on Iran this morning and Under Secretary of Defense Flournoy said that the U.S. is very concerned by these reports. Do you have anything to add to that? And – well, that’s the end of the question.

MR. CROWLEY: We are concerned about it. And if such an action has been taken – and we continue to analyze this issue – it would represent a failure by the parties in the region to honor UN Security Council Resolution 1701. And clearly, it potentially puts Lebanon at significant risk. We have been concerned enough that in recent weeks, during one of our regular meetings with the Syrian ambassador here in Washington, that we’ve raised the issue with the Syrian Government and continue to study the issue. But obviously, it’s something of great concern to us.

QUESTION: Well, the Syrians deny that they have any – (a) that this is happening, but (b) that they have anything to do with it. Do you accept that denial?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, let’s – I mean, there’s a broader issue here. Regardless of the issue of Scuds, we are – we remain concerned about the provision of increasingly sophisticated weaponry to parties in – to Hezbollah. And this is an issue that we continue to raise with Syria, other parties in the region. And this is a clear threat to Lebanon’s security.

QUESTION: Well, does that – this is a clear threat to Lebanon’s security? That means you’re – so you believe or you know that these Scuds have been transferred?

MR. CROWLEY: I’m not going to talk about intelligence matters. I don’t think at this point, we have a clear --

QUESTION: Well, you just did. You just said that you’re --

QUESTION: Wait, could you finish your sentence? You said at this point, you don’t think you have a clear indication?

MR. CROWLEY: A clear picture.

QUESTION: A clear picture.

QUESTION: But you just did. You just said that this – that the transfer of increasingly sophisticated weaponry, as if it was a fact.

MR. CROWLEY: Well, there is --

QUESTION: Is it a fact?

MR. CROWLEY: -- a flow of weaponry into Lebanon. I’m not talking about systems as large as Scuds, but we are concerned about it and we have raised it with various parties, including the Syrians.

QUESTION: So are you saying that the Scud reports are wrong?

MR. CROWLEY: I’m not commenting on – specifically on scud reports.

QUESTION: Could this issue affect the dispatch of the ambassador designate to Damascus?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, we – no. We hope to have an ambassador placed in Damascus because it’s in our national interest to do so, that – so we have the opportunity to raise on a continual basis not only our concerns about Syria’s behavior but also work, we hope, over time more constructively with Syria on our areas of mutual interest, including potentially Syria’s important role, should it choose, in the peace process.

QUESTION: Is Lebanon the only country that is affected by this, if Scuds were placed in southern Lebanon? Are there other concerns?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, I mean, obviously a concern that we would have if you hearken back to a brief discussion that Matt and I had on Monday over what is the nature of a state, one of the essential ingredients of a state is monopoly in terms of the significant use of force. And if you have non-state actors that are armed to the teeth, that actually – that threatens the security of that particular country and stability across the region. That is something that we have been concerned about for some time. And we would be looking for countries in the region, including Syria, to play a more constructive role in taking responsibility for regional security.

QUESTION: But you don’t – you’re not afraid that this could jeopardize Israel’s security? I mean, you’re talking about Lebanon.

MR. CROWLEY: I mean, it’s a clear risk to a number of countries in the region, given the range – and again, I’m not confirming anything.

QUESTION: Well, and given the mission of Hezbollah, right?

MR. CROWLEY: But given the range of those particular systems, if that report proved to be true, that would be a threat to a number of countries in the region, including Israel.

QUESTION: I have another question on Kyrgyzstan. Can you talk about where you are in terms of recognizing the interim government? And under --

MR. CROWLEY: (Laughter.) Here we go....

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h_TMWKOZ4kTIrjHiNfHWtF1LbQ_Q

US affirms support to Israel 'will not waver'

(AFP) – 6 hours ago
WASHINGTON — The United States "will not waver" in its support and protection of Israel, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday on the eve of the Jewish state's 62nd anniversary.

Despite tensions between President Barack Obama and the administration of hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Clinton stressed that "the United States will continue to stand with you, sharing your risks and helping shoulder your burdens, as we face the future together."

"I have a deep personal commitment to Israel. And so does President Obama. Our nation will not waver in protecting Israel's security and promoting Israel's future," she said in a statement.

"Israel today is confronting some of the greatest challenges in its history, but its promise and potential have never been greater."

Monday's anniversary "is an opportunity to celebrate all that Israel has accomplished and to reaffirm the bonds that unite our two nations -- our strategic partnership, our shared values, and our common aspirations," she added.

Clinton noted that in 1948 it took President Harry Truman just 11 minutes to recognize the state of Israel.

"And ever since, the United States has stood with you in solidarity."

....Just days ago Clinton called on Netanyahu to prove his commitment to a Palestinian state, warning that prolonged conflict only strengthened extremists....

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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1164161.html

U.S. summons Syrian diplomat over arms transfer to Hezbollah

By Natasha Mozgovaya
Last update - 03:25 20/04/2010
The United States State Department released a statement on Monday saying that Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism was directly related to its support for groups like Hezbollah.

The statement was released as the State Department summoned Syria's most senior diplomat present in Washington, Deputy Chief of Mission to the U.S., Zouheir Jabbour, to discuss the recent reports that Syria was transferring scud missiles to the Lebanon based Iranian- and Syrian-backed Islamist group Hezbollah.

Earlier this month, the Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai Al-Aam reported that Syria had shipped ballistic Scud missiles to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon....

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http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63J01J20100420

U.S. warns Syria on weapons transfers

Andrew Quinn
WASHINGTON
Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:52pm EDT
(Reuters) - The United States summoned the senior Syrian diplomat in Washington on Monday to address "provocative behavior" regarding the potential transfer of Scud missiles to Hezbollah that it said could be a threat to both Lebanon and Israel.
"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the SCUD, from Syria to Hezbollah," the statement, issued by State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid, said.

"The transfer of these arms can only have a destabilizing effect on the region, and would pose an immediate threat to both the security of Israel and the sovereignty of Lebanon."

The U.S. statement stopped short of confirming the alleged transfer of long-range Scud missiles to Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, which if true could cast doubt on U.S. President Barack Obama's diplomatic outreach to Syria.

The State Department said this was the fourth time in recent months that Washington has raised the issue with the Syrian Embassy....

"The risk of miscalculation that could result from this type of escalation should make Syria reverse the ill-conceived policy it has pursued in providing arms to Hezbollah," the statement said.

"We call for an immediate cessation of any arms transfers to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region."

A senior U.S. official, while declining to confirm any U.S. intelligence related to the Scuds, said the statement was a sign that the allegations were being taken seriously.

"We wouldn't have called them in if we didn't think something was going on," the official said....