All Roads Lead To Damascus

• July 14, 2006

The White House today blamed
Syria and Iran for the Hezboallah attacks from southern Lebanon. Hezboallah
kidnapped
two Israeli soldiers Wednesday morning near Israel’s western border, causing
the IDF to launch attacks into Lebanon seeking their release. Israel has now
attacked Lebanon for its support of Hezboallah, which is part of the Lebanese
government. Israel has attacked Beirut’s airport, which is a supply route for
Hezboallah, and has blockaded Lebanese ports. Roland
Watson: "I think we can expect a day or two more of the Israeli bombardment
of Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon. The Israeli military justified today’s
bombing of Beirut airport because they said it was used freely to channel arms
from Iran to Hezbollah. Despite pressure from hawkish elements in the
Israeli military establishment, there is no plan at present to take military
action against Syria."

Bashar Assad

Perhaps there should be a plan to take military action against Syria, other
than just rattling
Bashar Assad’s windows. There will be no permanent solution to Israel’s
security problems until Syria is brought to heel. Damascus is terrorism’s regional
hub, as it were. Syria gives Hezboallah
its lifeblood in military, economic and political support, and if Israel does
not sever that tie it can expect several more generations of rocket attacks
and kidnappings from these Islamic totalitarians (Michael
Totten has a harrowing description of their self-governed enclave in southern
Lebanon).

According to U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay
Khalilzad Syrian newspapers "glorify the terrorists as resistance fighters
. .. " and that Syrian authorities "allow youngsters misguided by
al-Qaeda – from Saudi Arabia, from Yemen, from North Africa – to fly
into Damascus International Airport, attend training camps and then cross into
Iraq."

Syria gives shelter to Hamas terrorist-in-chief Khaled
Mashaal (who looks disturbingly like George Clooney in Syriana, by
the way) and perhaps to Imad Mugniyah, last seen being feted by
none other than Bashar Assad in
Damascus last January (no thanks to France which had a chance to arrest
Mugniyah in 1985, and Saudi Arabia, which let him slip out of the country
in 1995). Mugniyah has also been seen living in Lebanon, where he masterminded
the 1983 Marine barracks explosion. If anyone proves the lie that Shi’ite, Sunni
and secular terrorist organizations in the Middle East would never work together
for a common cause, it is Mugniyah.
A leader for Hezboallah (shi’ites supported by Iran), he has allegedly participated
in many of al-Qaeda’s major attacks, including Khobar Towers, the east African
embassies, and the USS Cole. Even howling moonbat Larry
Johnson says that Mugniyah has met with Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, and
they have probably forged operational ties. The fact that Mugniyah would sit
down in a meeting with secularist Ba’ath party leader Bashar Assad, also a member
of the Alawite sect of Islam, which is considered heretical by Wahabbis, should
tell you all you need to know about the supposed intractable differences seperating
the various terrorist factions in the Middle East. For more information on the
absolutely impossible Shi’ia/Sunni terrorist connections see Al-Qaida’s
Links to Iranian Security Services.

This does not even begin to scratch the surface of Syria’s support for, or
cooperation with terrorist organizations. The list of terrorist groups
linked to Syria is a veritable Who’s Who Of Terror, including the Kurdish
Worker’s Party (PKK), the Basque ETA, and the Tamil Tigers. Perusing the list
of Palestinian terrorist organizations, it seems that Damascus supports every
single one of them. Hamas, for example, even had a terrorist
training camp since 1991 in Yarmouk outside Damascus. There are reputed
to be scores of such terrorist training camps throughout Syria.

Syria provides terrorists exactly what they need to thrive in the Middle East:
a safe haven, ‘diplomatic immunity’ for terrorist leaders, banking, training,
logistics, propaganda and operational support.

Israel has to consider wiping out this nexus of terror, all the more so because
it is eminently attainable: the IDF will be able to attack Syria with almost
complete impunity – the Syrian ground and air forces just cannot compete with
the IDF due to Israel’s vastly superior armament, training and morale. The Iranian
ability to retaliate against Israel is next to nil at the moment, other than
through its proxy Hezboallah. Iran has Shahab-3 missiles with the range to hit
Israel, but as yet no nuclear warheads. Israel may be looking at its last opportunity
to clear out the rats’ nests of terror in Syria without risk of a retaliatory
nuclear strike.

Maybe Israel should strike while the iron is hot.

Crossposted from WILLisms.com

Tags: War On Terror

http://Array Scott

Rob,

Personally I’d love to see Israel Administering all of Syria no later than sunrise Saturday. Keep out the Club of Thugs and Dictators and work with the U.S. Britain Poland Australia Japan Germany and maybe even Mexico to ensure some kind of long lasting military bases and stable civilian free democratic govt.

It would have all the beneficial intended consequences and Terrorist Murder Inc would have to relocate training and facilities to Quom.

I just don’t think the current Israeli Govt., Ohmert et al has the willingness to attack Damascus.

Maybe sans Syrian VX missiles they would, but not currently.

It would take a Sharon, or a Netanyahu, and a willingness to accept up to 50,000 civilian casualties from VX for the price of victory.

If you haven’t read up on it, VX is a really nasty death.

I don’t see any hands going up for assualting one of the two main Chemical Weapons Capitals now in the Middle east.
http://blogs.wizbangblog.com/author/index.php?author=Rodney%20Graves sayanything-42

aNONOMISLY opines:

have you though of the retaliation from the crazy lunatics, ..

Yep. They could make a mess. They could try to destablize the US Currency by printing and passing high quality counterfeits… They could be a one stop shopping desination for rogue regimes desiring proscribed weapons and technology… They could kidnap civilians from their neighbors…

South Korea? ..Seoul South Korea?

Interesting city. Lived there for a little over three years. It is, by the way, within artillery range of the DMZ. A fact not lost on those who live there, or who have lived there.

The one million troops of the NK army?

Not terribly well trained nor equipped. A formidable force fighting on defense on their own well prepared turf. Far less so should they attempt to come south, or be faced with a threat from an un-expected axis.

its other rockets and missiles?

Some of which may actually work. Facing more than a few batteries of improved Patriot Missiles, and Aegis BMD offshore.

its nuclear weapons?

A definate problem. Almost as serious as their large stockpiles of persistent chemical agents deliverable by missile, air, and artillery.

our thousands of soldiers at the DMZ?

Nope, not for over a year now. At the request of the ROK Government, almost all of them are well south of Seoul these days as the second line and fast reaction force.

full out war?

Whose army right now has the highest percentage of recent combat veterans? So much so that both active duty and reserve formations have more combat veterans than non combat experienced troops? Whose army right now is the best equipped and most mobile in the world?

having to invade North Korea?

Would suck. Hopefully, we wont have to. But if we have to, it will go very badly for the DPRK before we re-inforce (at the hands of the ROK and US Troops already there).

a prolonged occupation of North Korea?

Would also suck. Sometimes one has to do things that really suck.

fuck China and Russia!

Russia? Can we send the boy scouts? China? Rather not have to, but they still rely on mass of numbers, and we’ve gotten ever better at offsetting such advantages.

Out Here
Rodney Graves
rodney.g.graves@gmail.com
aNONOMISLY

Rodney, I’m not questioning whether we can win.

thing is crazy lunatics do not think in a rational way

I merely want to make sure rob understands the probable costs and to make his own conclusion as to whether we can afford it now or not.

Judging from what the Bush administration has done so far (i.e. what William Kristol has been seething about) I don’t think they are willing to go so far.

..occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and preoccupation with Iran and other places in the middle east already has us stretched very thin, it is my believe, ..I don’t think we can afford a prolonged war and occupation of communist Korea,
Bat One

I know the old cliche that you shouldn’t speak ill of the dead (“I come to bury Ceasar, not to praise him…”), but I can’t help thinking that with Israel finally taking it to their enemies, not to mention all the other stuff going on (i.e. Bob Novak’s Plame revelations), poor ol’ Diane must be just chewing her chubby little fingers off at being unable to rant and rave here.

R.I.P.
Bat One

After Baby Assad then who ?

How about whichever one glows the brightest shade of green at night?
http://aol.com/ chuck

a country that’s 10 miles wide at it’s min…that’s surrounded by 500 million people that think it’s god’s (allah’s) to kill you…they have made a toast, “never again”. the holocaust, happened because the nations of the west did not intervene. neville chamberlain declared “peace in our time”….the toast prior was “next year in jerusalem”….history repeats itself…history repeats itself…just to be on the safe side…i’m bettin on god’s chosen people…that and the idf…iaf
Scott

I don’t think that the Current Israeli Govt. is willing to accept Syrian VX missile strikes on Israeli cities as the price to clear out Damascus at the rural training camps.

After Baby Assad then who ? The next generation of Islamists looks worst than the current thugs.

Until NYC Boston & Washington tunnels and subways get bombed and the islamic fascists set fires in California the public will not likely tolerate more deficits and more “nation building” e.g. Syria, even tho sooner, like right now, would be far cheaper than later.

Then there’s that Mutual Defense treaty between Syria and Iran.

Iran may be weak, but they do have a stockpile of Chemical Weapons, right now and it only takes one or two to change everything.

Perhaps bite then chew completely, divide and conquer is the wiser course.
aNONOMISLY

It eliminates a threat without directly engaging our military.

I think that is too simplistic ..

have you though of the retaliation from the crazy lunatics, ..

South Korea? ..Seoul South Korea?

The one million troops of the NK army?

its other rockets and missiles?

its nuclear weapons?

our thousands of soldiers at the DMZ?

full out war?

having to invade North Korea?

a prolonged occupation of North Korea?

fuck China and Russia!
Marty

Diane got nuked? Good Riddance!
Bat One

I’m not much good at graphics and pictures. I often have enough difficulty with posting words. So you’ll have to look this up on your own.

But looking at a map, and seeing the locations that the Israelis are targeting, the roads, the airport, the other strategic locations, it occurs to me that what we have here is a roundup of sorts, the purpose of which might be to keep their targets bottled up with no chance of escape.

Now it could be that their target is hezbollah, specifically those who are holding their soldiers, and that the idea is not to allow them to escape into other areas of Lebanon or to Syria. After all, the Israelis have always been fiercely loyal and positively religious about getting their people back… whatever the cost.

But with the announcement earlier that the missile that landed in Haifa had been fired by an Iranian Revolutionary Guards unit, I wonder if maybe the Israelis have decided to round up and capture the Iranians. It would be an enormous victory for them to do so, both domestically and on the international stage, as it would certaily be a huge embarassment to the Mullahs, just when their nuclear negotiations with the EU and the US are at a very crucial point.

There’s not way to know for sure, until the event. But I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised. If the Israelis can publicly humiliate the Iranians, it would be a huge coup… for Israel and for the Bush administration as well.
http://bullwinkleblog.com/ bullwinkle

Close to 100% of Israelis have had these since the first Gulf War. They also have their homes, schools and offices set up with safe rooms. They have Patriot missiles too. I don’t think the VX poses the problems a lot of people think they do. I think if anyone tried to use WMD against Israel now what happened after that would make the 6 Day War look like a quagmire.
aNONOMISLY

Frankly, if Israel takes on Syria I’ll be we’ll see a reduction in terrorism in Iraq as the terrorists coming over the border from Syria will be busy elsewhere.

I agree, but I see a problem in Iraq been so small (geographically speaking).

Israel has a great army..intellegence we should envy, but I doubt it can occupied/fight so much radicalism on its own for a prolonged time

If Israel comes under havy attack I see it as our duty to use our military to support them.

If that happens WWIII would be around the corner

(it is hard to fight people who are so radical, thay view causing harm to you as more paramount then their own life!)

..a very shitty deal all around
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

We got their right flank covered.
Bat One

Scott,

I am not in any way disparaging what you say… quite the contrary. But for the benefit of those who might be tired of reading my take on the matter, I wonder if you would explain Syria’s possession of weaponized Vx. Thanks.
TwoHotel9

Irrational thinking is the primary reason for killing Wahabi Deathcult Worshippers without warning or mercy. They seek death, we should be the good citizens and give it to them. We are just being considerate.
TwoHotel9

aNON, do you have any idea how many soldiers we can currently field? Even a rough quess?
http://www.kenmccracken.blogspot.com/ Ken McCracken

I really think going after Damascus is skewering the beast right in its heart.

Forget all the concern and worry about bin Laden – terrorism has been a family enterprise in Syria for decades now, and is responsible for far more death and destruction than Osama.

If you think we had to invade Afghanistan because it harbored terrorism aimed at the US, Syria has been a worse actor by far, and have been involved in terrorist acts against Americans since the Reagan administration! (Remember the Marine barracks in Beirut?)
aNONOMISLY

Here is another thread speficically on this issue
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

I recently posted about Japan thinking about a pre-emptive strike on North Korea. In that instance I stated that America should back Japan’s play. It eliminates a threat without directly engaging our military.

I think the same is true with Israel/Syria. We should give Israel our blessing to proceed and whatever operational support we can provide. Syria is a threat to the stability of the entire Middle Eastern region, specifically the democracy we’ve established in Iraq.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

I don’t think that the Current Israeli Govt. is willing to accept Syrian VX missile strikes on Israeli cities as the price to clear out Damascus at the rural training camps.

After Baby Assad then who ? The next generation of Islamists looks worst than the current thugs.

If not now, then when? If a stable middle east that is no longer generating terrorists is our goal then Syria and Iran are problems that must be dealt with. The longer it is put off the harder that will be.

Frankly, if Israel takes on Syria I’ll be we’ll see a reduction in terrorism in Iraq as the terrorists coming over the border from Syria will be busy elsewhere.

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