October, 27 2008, 04:50pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020;
or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167
Attack on Syria
WASHINGTON
BBC reports:
"Syria has protested angrily to both the U.S. and Iraq after what it
said was a U.S. helicopter raid inside its territory that killed eight
civilians. Syria summoned U.S. and Iraqi envoys to condemn the
'aggressive act.' Iraq said the area targeted was used by militants to
launch cross-border attacks in Iraq."
JOSHUA LANDIS
Landis is co-director of the Center for Middle East Studies and
assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma. He writes the blog "Syria Comment,"
which contains up-to-date information including videos. He said today:
"A big question is why now. Syria has been improving border compliance
steadily. General Petraeus announced this month that Syria has brought
down infiltration from 100 to 20 a month."
RICHARD FALK
Falk is professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University
and currently visiting professor at Chapman Law School. He is the
author of more than 20 books including The Costs of War: International Law, the UN, and World Order after Iraq.
He said today: "The U.S. helicopter cross-border raid against a Syrian
target is the latest display of Washington's disregard for the
restraints of international law on the use of force, as well as
exhibiting a refusal to respect the territorial sovereignty of Third
World countries. It is also a typically reckless expansion of the
regional war zone, and taken together with similar recent American air
and missile cross-border attacks on Pakistani targets represents a
provocative and dangerous escalation of the so-called 'war on terror'
somewhat suspiciously taking place on the eve of the American
presidential elections."
More Information
A nationwide consortium, the Institute for Public Accuracy (IPA) represents an unprecedented effort to bring other voices to the mass-media table often dominated by a few major think tanks. IPA works to broaden public discourse in mainstream media, while building communication with alternative media outlets and grassroots activists.
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