Is the U.S. Wiser to Syrian Provocations?

In March, reports emerged in the Kuwaiti press that Syria had transferred Scud missiles to Hizbullah. One month on, news of the Scud transfer continues to reverberate in Washington and the Middle East. A congressional resolution condemning Syria has been drafted and confirmation of the Obama administration’s ambassador-designate to Damascus has been delayed. Meanwhile, tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border have spiked, again raising the specter of war.

Despite the fact that no authoritative evidence has been presented showing that the transfer actually occurred, in many ways the reports appear credible. First, Israeli accusations were tabled by two unlikely officials – President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak – well-known supporters of Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations. Likewise, although Washington has not officially confirmed the transfer, several statements – including one from Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and another off-the-record statement by a senior administration official to The Wall Street Journal – have lent weight to the allegations.