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Rumsfeld Singles Out Iraq, Iran, Syria
Monday, April 1, 2002
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Rumsfeld said that contrary to press reports, no military personnel are slated for any kind of peacekeeping duty in Israel. He said an earlier plan called for "monitors" in the country if the Tenet Plan, named for CIA chief George Tenet, was adopted. He said even then the numbers of monitors would be small and they might not even be American.

WASHINGTON -- AFIS
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld singled out Iraq, Iran and Syria as countries that are encouraging terrorists while oppressing their own populations.

"Murderers are not martyrs. Targeting civilians is immoral whatever the excuse," Rumsfeld said during a press conference April 1. "Terrorists have declared war on civilization and states like Iran, Iraq and Syria are financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing."

Rumsfeld said Iraq is financing terrorism against Israel by subsidizing the families of suicide. "I think the world ought to know that Saddam Hussein's idea of having a nice day is offering $10-, $20- or $30,000 … to families who talk their children into going out and blowing up a restaurant in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem," he said.

He said Iran and Syria are sending terrorists "down the Damascus Road through the Bekaa Valley to southern Lebanon," where they launch guerrilla attacks against Israel. He also said Iran was directly involved in shipping arms to Palestinian terror groups.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Dan