Syria Harbors Iraqis and Grants Transit to Hezbollah, U.S. Asserts

US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has accused Syria of allowing members of Saddam Hussein’s family and former leadership circle to cross the border into Syria, and members of Hezbollah to cross the other way into Iraq. Both Syria and Hezbollah deny the accusations, but the US is applying pressure because it believes Hezbollah has plans to attack American interests in the region, and asserts that Syria’s leader, Bashar al-Assad, is sponsoring Hezbollah and supplying them with weapons. Rumsfeld has also accused Syria of possessing chemical weapons. Syria has strongly denied the charges but the pointed accusation has raised new fears of a conflict and further tension in the Middle East. –YaleGlobal