Syria, Libya Listed as 'Rogue States'

Syria, Libya Listed as 'Rogue States'

By Timothy M. Phelps
WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

September 17, 2003

Washington - The Bush administration named Syria and Libya yesterday as "rogue states" whose weapons of mass destruction must not just be controlled but must be eliminated by whatever means necessary.

Syria, it said, is of particular concern because it has been supporting terrorist groups and letting militants cross its border into Iraq to fight U.S. forces.

But some Democrats in Congress complained that the tough rhetoric from Undersecretary of State John Bolton on Syria, in particular, did not match the administration's actions.

Bolton told a House International Relations subcommittee that Secretary of State Colin Powell is not ready to endorse the imposition of economic sanctions on Syria, though one New York congressman said the administration appears to be moving in that direction.

In what Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Jamaica Estates) called "the axis of evil plus," Bolton testified that Syria and Libya had weapons of mass destruction programs that must be "rolled back" and eliminated. Two years ago, President George W. Bush named North Korea, Iran and Iraq under Saddam Hussein as the "axis of evil."

Bolton said diplomacy is the administration's preferred approach but that "every tool in our nonproliferation toolbox" was an option. Bolton refused to rule out "regime change" as an administration option in Syria.

His testimony bore the hallmarks of a struggle within the administration. Powell prefers persuasion to get Syria to stop supporting terrorists, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and allowing "volunteers" to enter Iraq to fight Americans. A hawk on Syria, Bolton pointedly emphasized Powell's position, exaggerating each point.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx), a co-sponsor of a bill to allow economic sanctions on Syria, said the struggle appeared to reflect, in part, a desire by some in the administration to use Syrian companies and other Syrian resources in Iraq's reconstruction. Both Engel and Ackerman were critical of the administration for not moving forward with sanctions.

Imad Moustapha, Syria's acting ambassador here, said his country would gladly give up weapons of mass destruction if Israel would as well. He said Syria had done everything possible to help in the war against al-Qaida.

Bolton, in his prepared remarks, reiterated past testimony that Syria continues to test chemical munitions, is developing an offensive biological weapons capability and has a nuclear research and development program. He did not address Libyan weapons, but the CIA has said Libya's government is seeking to acquire chemical and biological weapons.

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