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WASHINGTON, July 25: Syria can do far more to rein in Hezbollah, such as stopping arms flows into Lebanon, but is not capable of putting the militia ‘out of business’, a top counterterrorism official of the United States said on Tuesday.
The Bush administration has said it is up to Hezbollah’s two main backers Syria and Iran to exert their influence to stop the group’s strikes against Israel.
President George Bush told British Prime Minister Tony Blair in an aside last week that the key to ending the current Middle East crisis was to “get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit’.
But Henry Crumpton, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, said even Iran — which he said had more influence than Syria — did not have full control over the guerillas.
“Syria can stop the flow of weapons, materiel and people into Lebanon. Yes, they can take a lot of action that they haven’t.
In terms of them controlling Hezbollah, no,” Crumpton told a press briefing. “They can-not put Hezbollah out of business.”
He said Iran wielded more influence over Hezbollah, ‘but even there, Iran does not completely own Hezbollah’.
PRESSURE CONTINUES: Mr Crumpton said that the two states could curb Hezbollah even though they do not fully control it, noting a drop in the flow of large missile systems across the border.
“We haven’t seen anything in the last few days of missiles coming from Syria across the border into southern Lebanon. Right now it’s very difficult for any kind of movement into southern Lebanon because of the Israeli efforts,” he said.
“I think that flow (of large missile systems) has been slowed if not completely stopped right now.”
Mr Crumpton said he could not rule out that Iranian agents were operating some Hezbollah weapons.
“I am confident that Iranian operatives are inside Lebanon right now with Hezbollah,” he said.
“They (Iran) have spent hundreds of millions of dollars arming Hezbollah and supporting them,” Crumpton said.
“Iran is the paymaster. They are clearly directing a lot of Hezbollah actions. Hezbollah asks their permission to do things, especially if it has broader international implications,” he said.
Western diplomats said on Monday that the United Nations was considering dispatching envoys to Syria and Iran as part of a diplomatic push to end the fighting.
Syria has offered to play a constructive role, but there is no sign the Bush administration is ready to turn to a state it says sponsors terrorism and helps insurgents in Iraq.
Iran says it gives moral support to Hezbollah but denies accusations the Lebanese group has used its troops or missiles in the latest clash.—Reuters
