Rice actions on Syria disputed

Anna Perez, White House communications counselor, Friday sharply contested a United Press International report that national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and political adviser Karl Rove shut down a Pentagon plan to expand the Iraqi ground war to Syria in closing days of combat.

"That never happened," she said. "It is a complete fabrication."

Perez also said there was no meeting on this subject at the White House with Israeli National Security Adviser Efrian Halevy and other officials.

UPI's report, published Friday afternoon, quoted unidentified administration officials as saying that a combination of Pentagon hawks and senior Israeli officials had been pressing the United States to expand the ground war to Syria. The officials spoke to UPI on condition of anonymity.

And this;

In response to Halevy's entreaties for action, these sources said, Rice repeated an assertion that the White House did not want any further military campaigns for the rest of Bush's first term, according to the sources. They said Rumsfeld objected, and, at one point, turned to Rove and asked his opinion. Rove said the president agreed with Rice, and the meeting came to an end, the sources said.

At least for now it seems Rove is satisfied enough of the public is convinced Iraq is tied to al-Qaeda and confident the taxpayer-funded photo-ops from the USS Abraham Lincoln will keep that message alive during the 2004 re-election campaign. I wonder how long the alleged optimism will last considering this Yahoo article that exposes Fleischer's lie that Bush had to fly onto the carrier.

Fleischer had said last week that Bush would have to fly out to the carrier by plane because the Lincoln would be hundreds of miles offshore, making helicopter travel impractical.

As it turned out, the ship was just 39 miles from the coast when Bush scored a presidential first by landing on the flight deck in a small S-3B Viking jet that was snared by a restraining wire. He climbed out of the cockpit wearing a flight suit and carrying a helmet under his arm, and was swarmed by crew members. The scene was captured on live television and replayed again and again.

"He could have helicoptered, but the plan was already in place," Fleischer said. "Plus, he wanted to see a landing the way aviators see a landing."

Mr. Bush claimed to miss flying. To hear just how much flying he missed during the time he can be accounted for during his National Guard service, listen to this Democracy NOW! interview. Joe Conason addresses this and more.

Yet while Rove is saying 'No, No' others may not be convinced. Powell in Syria 'laying down the law'.