Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., February 19, 2008 Adar1 13, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:45 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

An undated image of Hezbollah terror chief Imad Mughniyah. (Reuters) The U.S. and Mughniyah / Not just 'who' but also 'where' By Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: U.S., Syria, Israel  Like Israel, U.S. claims ignorance as to who took out Hezbollah deputy leader - and both are suspected of lying. WASHINGTON - It was not excitement at the assassination of Imad Mughniyah that caused U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to slip and break his shoulder Tuesday, but the treacherous ice that covered Washington sidewalks and stairs. But State Department spokesman Sean McCormack gave vent to the Americans' joy at Mughniyah's demise when he said "the world is a better place without this man in it." Better - but not necessarily safer. Analysts at Western intelligence agencies were busy Wednesday drafting preliminary papers outlining response scenarios. Some had difficulty performing the task in the absence of relevant information: Until they know who was responsible, they cannot tell who will be the target of revenge. A Advertisement mong lower-ranking officials, there was an understanding that the problem is not necessarily a lack of information, but rather the degree of compartmentalization. Like Israel, the Americans claimed ignorance as to who took out Mughniyah, and like Israel, they were suspected of lying. Perhaps Gates knows, as do the heads of the major intelligence agencies, but did not bother to tell his subordinates - including some of those responsible for assessing the potential repercussions - the whole truth. He can discuss it privately with Defense Minister Ehud Barak when the latter visits next month. Fingers were pointed in three possible directions Wednesday. If Israel did it - the widespread assumption - it would join the mysterious bombing of a Syrian facility last September in contributing substantially to improving Israel's security standing in Washington. Israel's image was greatly tarnished in the failed Second Lebanon War, and the effort to rebuild its deterrence includes gaining American as well as Arab attention. If America did it, it would come as a great surprise to most experts in Washington. They refused Wednesday to assume America had a hand in the matter, damning evidence of the low regard in which the CIA is held. The third version has Syria as a potential suspect, perhaps as a means of signaling to the Americans that it wishes to resume talks and sever ties, at least partially, with the terror groups that have made Damascus home. Syria condemned the killing, but anyone looking for signs of Damascus' involvement could find them. For example: Syria's intelligence services are notorious for using car bombs for assassinations. In any event, the fact that Mughniyah was killed on Syrian soil will go on the growing list of American charges against it. If the Syrians didn't know they were hosting one of America's greatest enemies, then Assad's rule is so weak that terror groups can establish a base there, compelling the U.S. to take preventive steps. If they knew, then they're in even bigger trouble. Related articles: Israel embassies on high alert following Mughniyah killing ANALYSIS: Mughniyah death could spark Lebanese civil war Hariri memorial, Mughniyah funeral set to divide Beirut residents ANALYSIS: Question now is not whether Hezbollah will respond, but how PMO denies Israeli role in Imad Mughniyah's death Argentine intelligence report details Iranian hand in Buenos Aires bombings ANALYSIS: Hezbollah terror chief was more wanted than Nasrallah ANALYSIS: Imad Mughniyah - The epitome of the 'Axis of Evil' Hezbollah deputy leader was behind string of terror attacks Bookmark to del.icio.us   Artistic justice Israel Museum to exhibit art looted by Nazis and unclaimed. Let in snow For second time this winter, Jerusalem braces for snow.   1.   The Mossad noose is tightening on INDRARAT neck too 03:53  |  Genuine Tosefta 14/02/08   2.   tech talk, rumors and that`s all? 04:34  |  Bob 14/02/08   3.   Sean McCormack gave vent to the Americans` joy 04:53  |  i among them 14/02/08   4.   Welcome to Mohamedan Hell!! 04:54  |  Cristo 14/02/08   5.   How a Well-Fed Terrorist Should Look. 04:56  |  EGW 14/02/08   6.   Hmm... 05:20  |  Colin Wright 14/02/08   7.   No Candy Tonight in WB and Gaza 05:21  |  Avi 14/02/08   8.   CIA could have done this kind of work. 05:36  |  Devin Leonard 14/02/08   9.   behold . . . everyone actually supports the action 05:37  |  brian e camp 14/02/08   10.   Flash--no passing of candy in gaza! 08:09  |  Moshe 14/02/08   11.   WHY THE AMERICANS ARE OVERJOYED 08:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/02/08   12.   Jordan is to blame! 08:46  |  Marco 14/02/08   13.   mughniyah 08:56  |  elsie 14/02/08   14.   Did Mughniyah deserve to die? 09:22  |  Natallie Durson 14/02/08   15.   Meaningless 09:35  |  Natallie Durson 14/02/08   16.   Israel Image is Greatly Tarnished by Hosting Terror PLO-PA 09:48  |  Joseph . E 14/02/08   17.   Delusional belief in `peace` Resulted in 2nd Leb War Failures 09:56  |  Joseph . E 14/02/08   18.   The killing of Hezbollah`s deputy leader Imad Mughniyah was: 10:18  |  John 14/02/08   19.   Durson 10:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/02/08   20.   #19, Cipora Julianna Kohn 12:40  |  Anton 14/02/08   21.   Forth version 12:50  |  Analyst 14/02/08   22.   BUSH IS RESPONSIBLE (IN HIS WET DREAM) 13:54  |  indrajaya 14/02/08   23.   #15 #14Durson are you a clone? 16:54  |  Robert/Montreal 14/02/08   24.   Poor Indrajara #22 17:08  |  Robert/Montreal 14/02/08   25.   Indrajaya Really Hates Bush 17:12  |  Yosemite 14/02/08   26.   there is a story out....YOU SHOULD HEAR THIS ONE! 17:22  |  ROBERT/MONTREAL 14/02/08   27.   Mughniyah 19:49  |  P. J. Casey 14/02/08   28.   error are worse than crimes (Talleyrand) 20:54  |  Jean-Luc Ngarambe 14/02/08   29.   Achieving Moral Parity 21:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/02/08   30.   #29 Mark of Lewiston 22:13  |  Robert/Montreal 14/02/08   31.   # 22 Indy...I`m betting the Indonesian Gov 22:37  |  Lynn 14/02/08   32.   # 11 Cipora JK....I have waited 25 years 22:43  |  Lynn 14/02/08   33.   # 29 Mark of Lewiston ....I sure am happy 22:53  |  Lynn 14/02/08   34.   30/33 Robert & Lynn 00:12  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/02/08   35.   Mark of Lewiston a cewl dude 03:11  |  Robert/Montreal 15/02/08   36.   Poor Speculators Us! Iran did it. 04:46  |  st. father 15/02/08   37.   Lying maybe? 07:22  |  Mr.Smith 15/02/08   38.   #19, Cipora Julianna Kohn 08:54  |  Schubz 15/02/08   39.   let`s see, after the letter M comes N like Nastyballa 15:41  |  Next V. 15/02/08   40.   Moral Parity Mark? 17:34  |  Jacob Blues 15/02/08   41.   Sorry, Natallie (14), a person killing in such a coldblooded 19:35  |  Karl 15/02/08   42.   40 Jacob Blues Cont`d 23:49  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/02/08   43.   Rosher`s article 01:09  |  Max Anderson 16/02/08   44.   It looks Syrian! 19:44  |  Paul 16/02/08   45.   Hezbollah in Lebenon has been re-armed thru(Russian) Syria,etc. 06:51  |  Susannnah/Shoshannah 18/02/08   46.   14 Natalie Durson 00:17  |  Robin Hood 19/02/08   47.   `Analyst` may be right: who got a DNA sample before the funeral? 13:42  |  Shir-El 19/02/08

Today Online Livni: Halting peace talks with Palestinians will not end terror Responses: 93 Lebanon tense amid specter of fresh Israel-Hezbollah fighting Responses: 107 German intellectuals: Israel's creation made Palestinians victims of the Nazi Holocaust Responses: 125 Meron Benvenisti: The demographic bomb is 1-2 years away Responses: 46 Yoel Marcus: Better to keep tabs on terrorists than to kill them Responses: 20 Rosner's Domain Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? Most blatant example of Israeli interference in American election Clinton's peace team: the attacks on Rob Malley "vicious" (WTR) The U.S. and Mughniyah / Not just 'who' but also 'where' The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews More Headlines 13:58 Livni: Halting peace talks with PA will not end terror 17:42 Palestinians: 10-year-old Gaza boy killed in Hamas-IDF crossfire 16:58 IDF: Reinforcing private homes in Sderot is our last priority 18:45 BBC: Israeli general escaped U.K. arrest for war crimes in 2005 16:22 ANALYSIS: Sarkozy's Holocaust education plan baffles Jews 14:47 Islamic Jihad, Palestinian rights groups at odds over deadly Gaza blast 16:53 Egyptian officials meet with Hamas on Gaza-Egypt border security 18:07 Driver responsible for 3 deaths receives only 3-year prison term 14:01 Lawyer jailed for fraud in dealing with Jews' pensions in Germany 12:10 Report: Syria to present progress in Mughniyah killing probe within days 16:35 Pakistan's pro-Musharraf party concedes defeat in elections 15:21 Egypt police kill Sudanese migrant on Israel border 16:20 Widow suspected of faking cancer to receive donations Previous Editions Select Day 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb

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