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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| US may strike at Ba'athists in Syria, official tells 'Post' |
| 2004-12-24 |
| The US is contemplating incursions into Syrian territory in an attempt to kill or capture Iraqi Ba'athists who, it believes, are directing at least part of the attacks against US targets in Iraq, a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post. Assad, time for chit chat is up. The official said that fresh sanctions are likely to be implemented, but added that the US needs to be more "aggressive" after Tuesday's deadly attack on a US base in Mosul. The comment suggested that the US believes the attack on the mess tent, in which 22 people were killed, may have been coordinated from inside Syrian territory. Straw that broke the camel's back, comes to mind. "I think the sanctions are one thing. But I think the other thing [the Syrians] have got to start worrying about is whether we would take cross-border military action in hot pursuit or something like that. In other words, nothing like full-scale military hostilities. But when you're being attacked from safe havens across the border — we've been through this a lot of times before — we're just not going to sit there. In other words, Colin Powell won't save you this time. "You get a tragedy [like the attack in Mosul] and it reminds people that it is still a very serious problem. If I were Syria, I'd be worried," the senior administration official said. Everybody stand back, there is no rhetoric to see here. Another US official said that sentiment reflects a "growing level of frustration" in Washington at Syria's reluctance to detain Ba'athists and others who are organizing attacks from Syrian territory. The official cautioned, however, that whether to take cross-border military action is still a matter of discussion within the administration and that a military incursion is still "premature." The key words are "discussion WITHIN the administration" if this is the case, Assad, it's your ass. The senior official said US anger increased substantially after a prolonged incursion into Fallujah last month, which revealed "how much of the insurgency is now being directed through Syria." The US has not publicly detailed the evidence it has regarding the extent to which attacks are being organized from within Syria. But a report in The Times of London on Thursday suggested not only that Syria is becoming a base for Iraqis to operate, but that Syrian officials are themselves involved. The newspaper said Iraq had confronted Syria with evidence that included photographs of senior Syrian officials taken from Iraqi fighters captured during the Fallujah offensive. It also said US marines in Fallujah found a hand-held global-positioning system receiver with waypoints originating in western Syria and the names of four Syrians in a list of 27 fighters contained in a ledger. On Sunday, the Post reported that the US had provided Syria with a list of people it would like to see detained but that Syrian authorities have so far been unresponsive. What list? I know nothing about a steenking list. In other news, Syria will also be unresponsive when the U.S. hits them. The Post quoted a senior government official predicting a confrontation with Syria "unless the Syrians reverse their policy." US forces already operate along the Syrian border with Iraq, conducting air and mobile patrols. No doubt, it will happen for sure this time. This week, US President George W. Bush warned of possible new sanctions on Syria. "We have tools at our disposal, a variety of tools ranging from diplomatic tools to economic pressure. Nothing's taken off the table," he said. You have no clue about the tools we possess. And in an interview with a Lebanese newspaper, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage echoed the threat of new sanctions. In particular, Armitage said Washington wanted action taken against fugitive officials of the ousted regime, who remained at liberty in Syria and who "seem to us to be responsible for funding anti-US attacks in Iraq." "We want them to turn off this faucet," said Armitage, according to the paper's Arabic translation of his remarks. Armitage: "If you don't stop funding the attacks were going to...going to...threaten you 10 more times." Syria says it is doing all it can to allow prevent insurgents from crossing the Syrian border into Iraq and insists it would need more help to confront the problem. It also says it is being unfairly singled out whereas Ba'athists and others feeding the insurgency are hiding in other countries in the region. Yes but, we only a small part of the overall problem. Can you pretty please bomb the other countries before you bomb us? |
| Posted by:Poison Reverse |
| #17 I just hope the administration learned something from Iraq. Put out the full case openly. The case is there, and I suspect would be convincing to all non-moonbats, but they have to make it. |
| Posted by: jackal 2004-12-24 7:18:59 PM |
| #16 Right after the inauguration. Synchronize your watches. 5 4 3 2 1 Hack! |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-12-24 5:26:29 PM |
| #15 I say, let the turks seethe, like how with Seethe when they didn't let us use their land in '03. Thats Consequences. But for now , we should definality let South Syrians know we are in the area. |
| Posted by: Flasing Slang2798 2004-12-24 3:52:39 PM |
| #14 One at a time please, one at a time! However, I agree that at least 50% to 75% of the Sunni Triangle problems (perhaps 90%) can be eliminated by taking out the Syrian command and control sector. (There is some criminal smuggling, etc. that has gone on for over 1000 years. That will not change). (The Iranian threat is there also, but again One at a time). One punishment for Syria (and eventually Iran) that I expect will occur is that the Syrian Kurdish land area will be severed from Syria to become a part of "Kurdistan" (and give them access to ocean shipping). Probably the Kurdish lands will be also taken from Iran in a border re-alignment. That scares the "bejesus" out of the Turks, but I expect to see it in the next 10 years. I know Kurdistan has NEVER BEEN a real geopolitical goal, but the Syrians and Iranians have NEVER BEEN such obvious trouble makers before either. The Turks will seethe, but if their security needs are met they MIGHT even want to separate Kurdish Turkey and get rid of it themselves. (I really doubt that will happen), but a Syrian border relignment could take place in the next 24 months. Yes, I know, they all say keep Iraq intact. That depends on the Sunni Arabs in the elections in 2005. Remember, Sunni Arabs are like the Palestinians.... they NEVER MISS an opportunity to miss an opportunity. |
| Posted by: leaddog2 2004-12-24 1:50:47 PM |
| #13 Great analysis, .com. Lots to think about. I would like to see Syria paying a price for their support of the insurgency, though. This would involve clando ops. The Syrians need to have a quiet but deadly message sent to them. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul in Irvine, CA 2004-12-24 1:44:43 PM |
| #12 Pity that the US did not pay attention to the arms smuggling tunnels that Egypt turned a blind eye to. They would have noticed lots of comings and goings through the tunnels by Hezbollah guys. Iran through Syria and ultimately Hezbollah is hitting the US but there is too much PC nonsense to have learned something from the situation in Israel. All the different groups have been swapping intel and training each other in techniques and the West was too busy differentiating between "types" of terrorism to pay attention. |
| Posted by: Whutch Jaish6189 2004-12-24 11:39:41 AM |
| #11 But when you’re being attacked from safe havens across the border – we’ve been through this a lot of times before – we’re just not going to sit there. Can you say "Cambodia"? I knew you could... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-12-24 11:36:47 AM |
| #10 I think .com called. We are playing poker and now is not the time to bust a move. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-12-24 11:07:59 AM |
| #9 Stop talking about it. Do it. |
| Posted by: Infidel Bob 2004-12-24 9:04:12 AM |
| #8 It is hard to se us moving before February. After February we wil need to get agreement from Iraq. While it will probably be agreed to, It will be a non-triavial decision for them as it will be one of their first. The way we involve the Iraqis will also be part of the message we send to Iran. I would not be surprised to see the Iraqis involved, even if only as hangers on. The experience will be good for them and it will remove the "troop shortage" from the Iranian security blanket. It will also be interesting to see how we use the Kurds and what we do with them in northern Syria. That would be a great message for Turkey as well as Iran. Finally, would we let Israel kick the Syrians out of Lebannon? Or will we be able to convince Syria that their mighty army can be of greater use transferred to the eastern border? Lot's of problems can be solved with Syria's overthrow. Then we can focus on Iran. I still believe that absent Iranian provocation we will not attack there. But attempts to overthrow the government will go into high gear once Syria is taken care of. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-12-24 7:17:23 AM |
| #7 Split the middle east, right thru Syria and Iraq |
| Posted by: Cleath Ebbereting9331 2004-12-24 3:49:04 AM |
| #6 My $0.02... Iran and Syria are a package (with Lebanon a bonus), with Iran directing all non-Ba'athist-specific activity and funding most of the insurgency. I believe that Syria is where we will find Al Dhouri - "Red" - and that he's been there for a long time - using some of the Saddam money that Syria refuses to hand over to run his side of the insurgency in the Sunni North and West. Of course the Mad mullahs handle the Shi'a South. I presume cooperation in Baghdad operations with each doing whatever it can pull off to keep the attacks going. I figure Al Zarqawi is a "field general" for operations planning / execution and is probably considered a convenient, but rather self-important mad dog by both Red and the Mad Mullahs. There is a LOT of money changing hands to keep the fodder coming and the bombs going off - more and more of both must be brought in, nowadays. I've often called Iran a 3-fer... topple the Mad Mullahs and Baby Asshat will fold or become very compliant and Lebanon is suddenly in play, as well. It all hinges on Iran, IMHO. I believe we may make some unkind gestures toward Syria to intimidate Baby / disrupt the flow and buy some measure of peace - with one month to go before the elections, it is very timely indeed to rattle the saber at him and maybe tweak his nose with some nasty ops. But the big deal is Iran. What we will do depends upon a ton of factors, the nuke stuff being paramount, and we are not privy to what we know (or think we know) or how accurate it is. I keep recalling Chalabi and the imbroglio involving him and feel there was soooo much going on there we don't know about - and, whatever it was, it was important, given the rather strident statements that flew about at the time. I would not be surprised to see some nasty border ops on that side, as well, to put the Mad Mullahs off their game. I know everyone wants action. I do too. The timeframes are getting shorter and we may get what we wish for... it's only been a few weeks since Bush found out he was still President, y'know. Jan 30 is the next pivot point. Just my take. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-24 3:30:10 AM |
| #5 I can't wait for that 'High Noon' demand by "W" giving Syria 48 hours to comply and tow the line! Assad I'm sure will go into hiding! |
| Posted by: smn 2004-12-24 2:48:30 AM |
| #4 So when do we stop emoting and start acting? |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-12-24 2:37:58 AM |
| #3 As I mentioned before, Syria is complicit in the Iraqi insurgency. The human boomlets transit through the Syrian gateway. -- Target bombing commences at 0300 -- Roger than, over |
| Posted by: Capt America 2004-12-24 2:12:58 AM |
| #2 But what will the *seething* Arab |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-12-24 2:06:06 AM |
| #1 The administration is preparing a case against the Syrians, and this is really all the causus belli they need. Time for the boy optometrist to learn what Saddam learned too late: Don't tug on Superman's cape. |
| Posted by: Jonathan 2004-12-24 12:37:05 AM |