It’s a good day…
The UN nuclear agency says it has found new traces of uranium in samples taken from a Syrian site being investigated for possible hidden nuclear activities. The finding is part of a restricted report on Syria being circulated among the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35 board member nations… It was the first disclosure that graphite particles had turned up and a senior UN official said the discovery of additional uranium traces was a “significant” find, while stressing an IAEA investigation of Syria remained inconclusive. Furthermore the IAEA said that the uranium found at the site is unlikely to have come from Israeli missiles that bombed it.
… for some Hope and Change:
US senators visiting the Middle East Wednesday said Syria needs to change its behavior to improve relations with the United States, as the Syrian president said he wanted to develop ties with Washington. The comments came from Benjamin Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, who met with Syria’s President Bashar Assad Wednesday, and John Kerry, a Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in Beirut Wednesday. Kerry is slated to visit Damascus later this week as is another congressional delegation. The visit comes after President Barack Obama has offered to engage countries that had been at odds with the US… “The question we came to try and answer here in Syria is whether or not Syria is ready to make important and significant decisions that bring us closer rather than lose this opportunity to move forward,” Cardin said. Kerry said the US would renew diplomacy with Syria but in return expected Damascus to “change its behavior,” particularly with respect to Iraq and Lebanon. He said the US also wants Syria to help with the disarmament of Hizbullah.
Which is weird because I had the identical wish. Except in my version Assad also gave ponies to all the boys and girls in the whole wide world. And I guess also dismantled the multiple, redundant nuclear facilities and the chemical weapons plants that he’s building all over the country. But I’ll settle for the ponies.
And no, of course Obama isn’t going to pull Syria out of Iran’s orbit. Don’t be stupid.
References:
* IAEA finds new uranium traces at Syria site [YNet]
* US senators: Syria must change behavior [YNet]
* Syria Following Iranian Model, Building Multiple Redundant Nuclear Facilities [MR]
* Syria Responding To Waves Of Congressional Democrats With Shiny New Chemical Weapons Factory [MR]
* Just A Reminder: Sunnis And Shiites Historically United In Anti-Western Global Jihad (Plus: “History” Also A Pretty Good Answer To Obama’s Engagement With Syria) [MR]
Previously:
* Obama: Yup, I’m Going To Immediately Reach Out To Iran And Syria
* Confirmed: Obama Surrogates Were Negotiating With Iran And Syria During Election (Plus: Results Thus Far A Little Short Of Spectacular) (UPDATE: Just How Many Delegations Did Obama Send To Assad?)
* No, Obama’s Not Going To Lift Sanctions On Iran In The Next Few Weeks
