White House Calls Syria's Behavior "Unacceptable"
White House Report, September 16: Syria, ambassadorial nominations
White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters September 16 that Syria "has a history and continues to
harbor and assist terrorists and terrorist organizations, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and
others."
Syria's behavior "is unacceptable," he said. "And states that harbor terror, as the president has made clear, will be
held accountable."
The United States, he said, is concerned about Syria's "weapons of mass destruction program, and we are concerned about
the cross-border infiltration of foreign fighters or foreign terrorists that are coming into Iraq, trying to attack the
Iraqi people, coalition forces, the United States included in that.
"So there are a number of longstanding concerns that we have with regards to Syria. They know our views, they know what
needs to be done. And we will continue to make clear what our view is."
Asked if economic sanctions are a possibility, the White House press secretary replied, "I'm not speculating. I'm making
it very clear that their behavior is unacceptable and they will be held accountable for that behavior."
AMBASSADORIAL NOMINATIONS SENT TO SENATE
President Bush sent the following nominations to the Senate September 15 for confirmation:
-- H. Douglas Barclay, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of El Salvador.
-- W. Robert Pearson, of Tennessee, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be
Director General of the Foreign Service, vice Ruth A. Davis.
-- Randall L. Tobias, of Indiana, to be Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally,
with the rank of Ambassador.