US Talks Up Link Between North Korea and Syria

Remember the story about the Israeli air raid in Syria? It now appears that the US and Israel are suggesting that North Korea was aiding a Syrian nuclear programme. From CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Members of Congress will learn during closed-door briefings Thursday about North Korea's possible role in building a suspected nuclear facility in Syria, according to a source familiar with internal administration discussions.

U.S. intelligence officials will demonstrate that North Korea was helping Syria build the facility that Israeli warplanes bombed last year, the source said.

The United States and Israel have refused to comment on the target of September airstrike.

Some members of Congress have demanded to know what information the administration has about the incident.

Thursday's briefings to intelligence, foreign relations and armed services committees in both chambers of Congress are intended to show that the building hit was a North Korean-designed reactor being built with assistance from Pyongyang, the source said.

It is less clear whether North Korea had provided or was about to provide essential fuel components to Syria, according to the source.


The action itself was, of course, highly illegal. No nation has the right to invade a sovereign nation, whatever their 'justification'. It appears to be a desperate measure by a US government that is eager to pull the trigger on yet another nation in the Middle East in order to spread it's influence across the region. Anyone who believes that there is the remote possibility of this actually being true is very sadly mistaken. And, even if it is true, Syria has just as much right to develop a civilian nuclear programme as any other nation (much as I despise nuclear power). Sabres are being rattled and propaganda is coming thick and fast. Do not be surprised if there is an escalation in the rhetoric.