Rumsfeld angers Syrians

US defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s thinly veiled threat to hold Syria responsible for the alleged shipment of military equipment to Iraq set off a firestorm in West Asia on Saturday, deepening the conviction among many that Washington is prepared to substitute force for diplomacy — especially in Arab countries.

In newspaper headlines, on the street and among the Arab elite, the response was one of bitter amazement and, then, angry resignation. Most people, however, also expressed puzzlement at why Rumsfeld would make the antagonistic statement at a time when the US’ stock in the Arab world is already so low. ‘‘Only a madman would think of widening the circle of war,’’ said Information Minister Adnan Umran, a former Syrian ambassador to Britain, who also spent several years in the US as a diplomat.

In a news conference on Friday, Rumsfeld accused Syria of sending night-vision goggles to Iraq, along with other items, saying: ‘‘These deliveries pose a direct threat to the lives of coalition forces. We consider such trafficking as hostile and will hold the Syrian government accountable for such shipments.’’

At the same time, he accused Iran of aiding Iraq by allowing hundreds of fighters to cross its border into the country. His words were taken to mean that the US is prepared to attack Syria and Iran unless they fall into line. Rumsfeld’s language hit a particular nerve with the Syrian public, which has rallied behind President Bashar Assad’s outspoken opposition to the war. (LATWP)