US allowing high-tech exports to Syria?
DEBKA is reporting tonight that the United States has resumed high tech exports to Syria as part of its post-Annapolis 'thaw' in relations with terrorist-supporting countries.In line with the thaw in Washington-Damascus relations, the state department has permitted Cisco Systems to ship routers, switches and hi-tech equipment to Syria. Israeli military officials told DEBKAfile’s sources that the shipment of items with military uses was approved, although the Bashar regime is far from mending its ways and continues to meddle in Lebanon.For those of you who dismiss DEBKA's reports as alarmist or unreliable, please consider the following from Cisco's Contract Compliance Division's web page:
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The State Department has gone even further in instructing its UN mission not to veto a world body’s technological grant to Syria, for use in sophisticated surveillance equipment coming from the American Cisco Systems company. On orders from secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, the US department of commerce issued Cisco with a special export license for the equipment to be sent to Syria, in violation of Washington's owneconomic sanctions on Syria.The routers, switches and other hi-tech items are usable for missile radar and other weaponry as well as for early warning apparatus and intelligence surveillance.
Israeli officials commented to DEBKAfile that if Washington cannot uphold its own sanctions, it cannot expect to be taken seriously when urging stiff penalties for Iran.
PROHIBITED DESTINATIONSCisco Systems commodities, software, technical data and direct products thereof (Cisco Products) may NOT be EXPORTED or RE-EXPORTED, either DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY, to the following destinations or entities of:
Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and SyriaRepairing, replacing or technically supporting (Servicing) Cisco Products that may have been obtained in violation of applicable laws is strictly prohibited.
Note: A government issued export or re-export license may be available for select Cisco Products destined for Syria. Contact a trade advisor at the Bureau of Industry and Security personnel, if you have a specific inquiry.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:49 AM
2 Comments:
Cisco gear is advanced networking gear. While Syria can likely acquire similar things from many sources, it doesn't add any capability they don't already have ...
... though it does give them Cisco gear and IOS to play with, which, if the DoD were paying attention, is handing a terrorist supporting state the same physical networking gear that the DoD uses. Think about the security implications for the moment.
Arab hackers, handed IOS, with Foggy Bottom's blessing.
Our leaders have either collectively lost our minds, Debka has it wrong, or we are in an alternate universe where Syria is a friend to all nations. Since the last isn't the case, and Debka has had an alarming tendency to get things right as of late, I think the only choice is the first.
The quote from on credibility pretty much sums it up. My country has abdicated responsibility and credibility. We can no longer be taken seriously, as our foreign policy is in the hands of people who don't have the slightest clue about what they are doing.
Syria's arms won't get any better for having the Cisco gear. Their ability to attack us will be massively increased as a result of this.
I have said this many times, but Israel is on its own now. Don't make the assumption that my country will stand up for her.
While I would like to believe that another nation has critical people by the short and curlies, the evidence of nefarious influence from within the US is overwhelming. We don't need an external agent to explain what we see.
Great second source, Carl. While business is business, some business should be taken elsewhere. Shame on Cisco.
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