Israel Matzav

Hopenchange for Syria

Based on a report in the Syrian government's al-Baath newspaper, al-AP is reporting that the Obama administration is providing Syria with spare parts for two 747 aircraft that have been out of service for years. If the report is correct, it would signal a reversal of a policy in effect since 2004 that barred all United States exports to Syria except food and medicine.

Al-Baath quoted Syrian Transport Minister Yarub Badr as saying his ministry received the US approval to repair the two planes two days ago.

An official at the US Embassy refused to comment on the report.

If this sounds like a gentle way to ease a boycott against Syria, it's not. Some of the passengers on the newly refurbished Syrian planes may likely be terrorists and some of the cargo they carry will likely be weapons. In August 2007, US Senator Joe Lieberman proposed shutting down Damascus Airport because it was a transit point for terrorists heading into Iraq. And it would be much easier for the Syrian airline to fly weapons from Tehran to Damascus than it is for the Venezuelan airline Conviasa. So the Obama administration is easing the flow of terrorists and weapons in and out of the Syrian capital.

But Hopenchange is on its way. It just requires a little more 'flexibility' from the United States towards the terrorists. We Israelis know all about being 'flexible,' don't we? Maybe by 2012, the Americans will get it too.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:19 AM