Anti-U.S. Demonstration in Damascus; American Embassy Closes

Thousands of people marched in the streets of Damascus on Thursday, waving Syrian and Palestinian flags; and banners declaring "Death to Israel" and "Down with America’s Collaborators."  Anti-American sentiment continues to reverberate in Syria in the aftermath of a cross-border raid by U.S. troops on Sunday. While the Americans insist that its soldiers targeted an Al-Qa’ida- related link in the chain that sends foreign fighters against the American-led coalition forces in Iraq, Syria remains steadfast in its insistence that the target was civilian. A mass demonstration against the United States is set for Thursday, the same day the U.S. Embassy in Damascus will close its doors for an indeterminate period of time, citing "security reasons." Two American institutions, a school and a cultural center, were closed this week by order of the Syrian government. The Syrians are demanding from the U.S. an apology and a promise not to invade its territory. The Americans claim the primary target of the raid was Badran Turki al-Mazidih, aka Abu Ghadiyah, an Iraqi national with ties to Al-Qa’ida and reportedly the man organizing the use of foreign fighters against the coalition. The U.S. had asked Syria to turn him over a number of times, and claims it had intelligence that Abu Ghadiyah was planning a terror attack when he was taken out.