Chowderhead signs the "Syria Accountability Act"

I wonder who's gonna hold the U.S. accountable.

And where's the picture of the self-congratulatory grinning lunatics standing around their emperor-god waiting for their prized pens?

December 12
"Today, I have signed into law HR 1828, the 'Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003."

"My approval of the Act does not constitute my adoption of the various statements of policy in the Act as US foreign policy," said Bush.  article

Huh? Read that statement and translate it for me, will you? He makes specific reference to articles 5 and 6 - that must mean something. Somebody had to translate it for His Slowliness - either before or after he signed it - who knows which - or maybe not. Maybe he is not interested in what it said other than to know he has the power to invade Syria.

Nov 05
While the United States is trying to hem Syria in, Europe is opening new doors to the Arab country.

“By alienating Syria, the US will soon realise that it is losing an important regional player in the pursuit of stability in the region, whether in Palestine, in Iraq or in Lebanon,” said Nabil Sukkar, a former senior economist at the World Bank.

“The sanctions are meant to hurt Syria but the US, acting alone and failing in its policies in Iraq, wanted a scapegoat and wanted to blackmail Syria,” he said.

However, by doing so Washington has “ended up shooting itself in the foot”.

The 398-4 vote made clear that Syria also had to withdraw its estimated 20,000 troops from Lebanon and cease its illegal trade in oil and weapons with Iraq – a demand that has become redundant since Saddam Hussein’s fall from power.

Some Syrian officials have claimed that Americans will be the big losers, pointing out that US firms have invested in Syria’s oil sector.

Sukkar concurred, saying, “US companies would lose out to EU and Asian companies in bidding for contracts in Syria, especially in the oil and gas sector.”  article

I haven't read the act itself, and I don't know how these things work. I wonder if it's an all or nothing deal with the sanctions, or if himself can pick and choose which of the possibilities he will enforce. Anybody?

December 11
Should Bush determine Syria is not cooperating, he could impose sanctions, one of which could bar US firms from trading in oil owned by Syrian state-owned entities.

Other sanctions could block US exports to Syria other than food and medicine, bar US firms from investing or operating in Syria, and prevent Syrian diplomats inWashington from traveling outside a-40km radius of either city.  article

At any rate, it seems like a repeat of the same idea that hasn't worked out all that well in dealing with Iraq. And a prelude to another "preemptive" attack. At the very least, it's more threats and pressure on the Arab world.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.