White House divided on Middle East

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- There are significant differences of opinion in the Bush administration about Israel's airstrike against Syria last month, The New York Times reported.

Israeli jets on Sept. 6 bombed a location in the Syrian desert and the Israeli government initially said little about the raid. It later came to light Israel had shared intelligence with the White House about alleged Syrian plans to develop a nuclear facility at the site months earlier, and that is where there are differences on the credibility of the intelligence, the Times said.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her allies have indicated they don't feel the intelligence requires any change in the U.S. diplomatic approach, while Vice President Dick Cheney and his allies calling for a harsher approach to Syria.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is also reportedly cautious about fully endorsing the Israeli warnings, the Times said.

One former senior administration official who asked not to be identified told the newspaper Israeli officials were so concerned about the threat, they told the White House they couldn't wait past the end of the summer to bomb the facility.