Let Syria get protection from Iran!
My suggestion to Syria is to invite the Iranian Revolutionary Guards to help controlling the border with “friendly arab” Iraq.
Syria has all the rights in the world to call for protection from the threat of a heavily equipped ennemy who disregard international laws in order to execute its plans.
I think this is what this operation is calling for.
The only effect that attack will have is a stronger rapprochement with Iran. The silence of Saudi arabia and other US allies is deafening.
The Bush administration should say goodbye to their Sofa!

Recently I received information, which I regard as reliable, that the site in eastern Syria that has been a staging area for several years for foreign operatives was staffed by Syrian military officials and al Qaida in Mesopotamia in Iraq activists. It is understandable now why Syria has denounced the raid as “an outrageous crime” (how many government related participants here have made that statement?), “an unprovoked attack on a sovereign country” a “criminal attack” “by a departing Bush administration,” and made a great show of coffins and onlookers. I think one has protested too much.
Do not expect much comfort from Obama as long as such activities are ongoing.

Ugarit (#47)-
I think I omitted the word “all” between we and have and territory to territories. The we was inclusive to all nations at the General Assembly.

Please define for us what signals or statements or actions you (or AIPAC, Likud, Neocon clubs) look for before someone, like President Carter, is branded an “Israel hater”.

The signals, statements, and action that I would [I won't speak for AIPAC, Likud, Meretz, Kadima, Neocon clubs (?), Syrian Baath Party] use to determine if someone could be branded an “Israel Hater” is if that person wrote a book blamed Israel solely for the Arab-Israeli conflict and erroneously accusing Israel of implementing “apartheid” when Arabs have the SAME rights as citizens as Jews. Also Carter skips over the Arab and Palestinian resorting to terrorism for political purposes, the anti-Jewish media, and their support for terrorism. Lastly, if 14 of his close, liberal advisors quit because of this distortion of truth, I think that pretty much takes the cake.

Just my POV.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/12/us/12carter.html

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01122007/news/nationalnews/14_quit_on_carter_over_israel_book_nationalnews_.htm

Is Shai an Israel hater?

We’ll have to ask Shai.

Please take a look at the latest post on my blog, about the raid.

http://www.qunfuz.blogspot.com

The Washington Post in an editorial below says it well. The Syrians have decided to help Al-Qaida and will pay a price for supporting terrorism. Now let us hear from the regime supporters here how the Washington Post is also unreliable. By the way, closing a school is the worst possible reaction and just shows how much the regime values education.

Mr. Assad’s Medicine
After sponsoring terrorism against three of its neighbors, Syria plays the victim when its own border is breached.

IT WAS interesting to observe the wails of outrage from Syrian officials yesterday following a raid on a target near the country’s border with Iraq, carried out by helicopter-borne U.S. commandos. “Criminal and terrorist aggression,” charged Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem. “The law of the jungle,” bemoaned spokesman Jihad Makdissi at the Syrian Embassy in London. This from a regime whose most notable activities of the past few years have been the serial assassination of senior Lebanese politicians, including former prime minister Rafik Hariri; the continuous and illegal supplying of weapons to the Hezbollah militia for use against Israel and Lebanon’s democratic government; the harboring in Damascus of senior leaders of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups; and — most relevant — the sheltering of an al-Qaeda network that dispatches 90 percent of the foreign fighters who wage war against U.S. troops and the Iraqi government.

The logic of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad seems to be that his regime can sponsor murders, arms trafficking, infiltrations and suicide bombings in neighboring countries while expecting to be shielded from any retaliation in kind by the diplomatic scruples of democracies. For most of this decade that has been lamentably true: U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials have over and over again pointed to the infiltration of al-Qaeda militants through the Damascus airport and the land border with Iraq, and Syria’s refusal to curtail it, without taking direct action. Yet in the past year Israel has intervened in Syria several times to defend its vital interests, including bombing a secret nuclear reactor. If Sunday’s raid, which targeted a senior al-Qaeda operative, serves only to put Mr. Assad on notice that the United States, too, is no longer prepared to respect the sovereignty of a criminal regime, it will have been worthwhile.

Mr. Assad’s government has lately taken a few cautious steps toward breaking out of its isolation, participating in indirect peace talks with Israel and granting formal diplomatic recognition to Lebanon for the first time. European governments have been quick with rewards, and the next U.S. president — if it is Barack Obama — may also hasten to upgrade contacts. If the Syrian regime is genuinely interested in making peace with Israel, distancing itself from Iran and the terrorist movements it sponsors, and rebuilding ties with the West, that is to be welcomed. What Damascus should not be allowed to do is reap the diplomatic and economic rewards of a rapprochement while continuing to plant car bombs, transport illegal weapons and harbor terrorists. Israel has let Mr. Assad know that it is prepared to respond to his terrorism with strikes against legitimate military targets. Now that the United States has sent the same message, maybe the dictator at last will rethink his strategy.

FIA,

Did it come to your mind that it is a crime for these people that told you that the place is a staging point for Al Qaeda and new about it not to do anything about that for years, while our soldiers are being killed in Iraq , Don’t you think that there is something fishy about that. so the bottom line you so called reliable sources are accessory to murder.

Look at this ,

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/385372_syrianed.html

Syria: Is it Jan. 20 yet?
Last updated October 28, 2008 4:26 p.m. PT

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

The ever-offensive Bush administration couldn’t leave without attacking somebody else: Syria. If a special operations raid was the White House idea of an October surprise, Sen. John McCain’s campaign can be excused for forgetting to send a thank-you note.

Just last month, the administration appeared to be edging toward serious talks with Syria, which has played enormously positive roles in accepting Iraqi refugees, sharing intelligence after the 2001 terrorist attacks and, recently, tightening security along its Iraq border. But, then, the diplomatic signals switched from pursuing the kind of talks that President Bush’s own Iraq study group advocated in 2006. And, suddenly, the administration violates Syria’s sovereignty with an act of aggression.

Once again, the American people are reminded of the need to rid themselves of an administration that repeatedly has chosen force, usually employed for dubious or flatly misstated reasons, over honest talk. This cannot help McCain, even though we think he, like Sen. Barack Obama, would encourage dialogue with Syria.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Obama and McCain also generally share Gen. David Petraeus’ desire for talks with less radical elements of the Taliban. The White House is reported to be considering the idea. No need to wait for a new president. In the meantime, though, the White House has to be watched for signs of one more outburst of unjustified aggression: against Iran.

© 1998-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Iraq rebukes US for commando raid as Syria appeals to UNMartin Chulov in Baghdad and Agencies in Damascus The Guardian, Wednesday October 29 2008 larger | smaller Article historyIraq’s government rebuked Washington yesterday for launching a military raid into neighbouring Syria from Iraqi soil, while Damascus retaliated by ordering a US school and cultural centre to be closed.

In a brief public comment more than 24 hours after the special forces strike, an Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said Baghdad rejected raids on its neighbours and did not want to be used as a launch pad.

“The constitution does not allow Iraq to be used as a staging ground to attack neighbouring countries,” Dabbagh said, though he also called for an end to insurgent activity in Syria.

The Syrian foreign minister, Walid al-Moualem, last night said Iraqi officials had “started to see the truth” about the raid.

Damascus took its first reprisals against Sunday’s raid by ordering the indefinite closure of the American school and a cultural centre. Both cater to the small US community and other expatriates in the Syrian capital. The Syrian cabinet said the US had violated the UN charter and international law with its raid.

Syria’s ambassador to the UN called for action to prevent a repeat attack. In a letter to the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, Bashar Ja’afari said that the council holds the US “politically” and “legally” responsible. According to Syria, US troops, backed by helicopters, launched the attack near Abu Kamal, five miles into its territory, killing eight people including four children.

US officials in Baghdad have refused to comment on the attack. However, officials in Washington and in the Iraqi government have claimed a henchman of the slain former leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in the raid on a compound in Sukkariyeh.

The man was identified as Abu Ghadiyah. Iraqi media also claimed that at least one man was captured and flown into Iraq by US forces, who disembarked from two of four helicopters. At least eight people are thought to have been killed.

The Associated Press quoted a senior US official as saying Abu Ghadiyah was the leader of the most prolific network that moves foreign fighters linked to al-Qaida into Iraq, and was planning an attack within Iraq. “The tripwire was knowing an attack was imminent, and also being able to pinpoint his location,” the official told Associated Press.

Officials in Baghdad say the Syrian town targeted during the raid was a major supply line to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, from where intelligence suggests insurgents are staging what amounts to a last stand in Iraq. Mosul is also seen as a supply line north to Afghanistan, which many in Iraq believe is fast emerging as a new frontline for foreign Arab fighters committed to the global jihad ideology.

The Iraqi army now has partial control of Anbar province, which stretches west from Baghdad towards the Syrian border. The province was dubbed the triangle of death in the early days of the US-led occupation and remained a hotbed of militant activity and attacks against coalition forces through four years of often blazing insurgency.

Angry Arabs Response to the Crisis:

“Syria offers a most tough response to the US raid on its territory. The Syrian government said that it will suspend the showing of reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond for two weeks. No comment from the US on this high level of escalation.”

Posted by As’ad at 10:45 AM

Interesting viewpoint…

الغارة الأميركية
عبدالله اسكندر الحياة – 29/10/08//

لم تكن القيادة العسكرية الاميركية مهتمة بمن سيكون في مرمى نيران غاراتها داخل الأراضي السورية. واذا كان التبرير شبه الرسمي الاميركي للغارة التي تخرق علناً للمرة الأولى منذ غزو العراق السيادة السورية، بأنها تستهدف «مهرباً» مهماً للمقاتلين الاجانب الى العراق حيث ينفذون عمليات ارهابية، فإن ذلك يعني ان القيادة الاميركية تعتبر ان هؤلاء المقاتلين ازدادوا قوة ونشاطا بما قد يطيح ما تعتبره هذه القيادة انجازات في العراق، وان هذا التهديد بلغ حداً يستدعي المغامرة بغارة داخل الأراضي السورية على هذا النحو. وهذا ما يتناقض مع كل ما أعلنته واشنطن عن نجاح استراتيجيتها الجديدة في العراق، ومع تسليم مزيد من المناطق الى القوات العراقية، ومع ما يلاحظ من تراجع في حدة العمليات الانتحارية. ويتناقض خصوصاً مع الكلام الاميركي الاخير عن ملاحظة تراجع عبور المقاتلين عبر الحدود السورية، اي زيادة التعاون السوري، عموماً، في هذا المجال.
من جانب آخر، تعطي هذه الغارة حجة اضافية للعراقيين المتشددين في مفاوضات الاتفاق الامني مع الولايات المتحدة. اذ، في ذروة المحادثات على البنود المختلف عليها ومنها تحديداً حق قيام القوات الاميركية بعمليات في دول الجوار انطلاقا من الاراضي العراقية، تتعزز المخاوف من ان يكون هذا البند حجة لمزيد من التدخل العسكري الاميركي وفق اجندة تخدم المصلحة الاميركية، وليس مصلحة الامن والسلم في العراق ودول المنطقة. وتاليا ستزيد الغارة من الضغط على الحكومة العراقية، خصوصا من ايران وسورية، اللتين تخشيان تحول هذا البند في الاتفاق الى تهديد مستمر لهما. وهذا ما سيزيد تعقيد هذه المفاوضات بدل تسهيلها، علما ان الادارة الاميركية تستعجل التوصل الى الاتفاق الامني مع العراق قبل نهاية السنة، وذلك من اجل ان يحصل التوقيع قبل نهاية ولاية ادارة الرئيس جورج بوش، ومن اجل ان تتفادى هذه الادارة العودة مجددا الى الامم المتحدة لتمديد الوضع القانوني الحالي لقوات الاحتلال، مع ما يمكن ان ينطوي عليه ذلك من مفاوضات صعبة، خصوصا بعد ازمة القوقاز والمواقف الروسية والصينية التي تبتعد اكثر فاكثر عن الموقف الاميركي مع نهاية عهد الادارة الحالية.
الى ذلك، جاءت الغارة التي يعتبرها المحللون العسكريون استراتيجية جديدة في التعامل مع سورية، الى حد ان بعضهم شبهها بتلك المستخدمة في باكستان انطلاقا من افغانستان. لكن هذا التشبيه لا يستقيم ليس بفعل الاختلافات الكثيرة بين الوضعين الافغاني – الباكستاني والعراقي – السوري فحسب، وانما ايضا لأن مثل هذه الاستراتيجية المطبقة منذ فترة طويلة في باكستان ولم تظهر جدوى عملية في محاربة «طالبان» داخل افغانستان، تأتي في نهاية ادارة بوش، وعشية احتمال تغيرات كبيرة في القيادة الاميركية تفرض، بحسب البرامج المعلنة للمرشحين الى الرئاسة وتطلعات غالبية الرأي العام الاميركي، إعادة تقويم للوضع في العراق وفي التعامل مع الجوار.
يبقى ان هذه السابقة الاميركية في الاغارة داخل الاراضي السورية بحجة وقف تهريب المقاتلين قد تفتح بابا آخر لا علاقة للعراق به، وانما يتناول الاتهامات لسورية باستمرار تهريب السلاح الى حلفائها في لبنان خصوصا «حزب الله». وهذا ما شكل صلب شكوى وزير الدفاع الاسرائيلي ايهود باراك لدى لقائه قبل ايام قائد قوات «يونيفيل» الجنرال الايطالي غراتسيانو، ضد سورية واتهامها بخرق مستمر للقرار الدولي الـ1701. واذا سمحت الولايات المتحدة لنفسها بتنفيذ عملية داخل سورية من اجل منع تهريب مقاتلين من دون سند قانوني او عملاني، قد تجد اسرائيل ان ذلك يبرر تحركها من اجل فرض احترام قرار دولي

Yes, the Washington post is mostly neocon the past few years.

Christian Scince Monitor, TIME, Newsweek, NY Times are ok most of the time.

Syria’s hapless enemies … the Saudis, the Likudniks and the Neocons are hilarious.

For the past five years they have been busy every day telling us how weak Syria is.

If Syria is really that weak, why are they that preoccupied with Syria?

Why not try writing about Somalia .. Djibouti … Yemen … There are many other weak countries to write editorials about if this is what they fancy.

Alex,

Ok, the Washington Post is a neocon paper. Have it your way.
The editorial says nothing about whether Syria is strong or weak. It comments about the fact that Syria is a terrorist supporting country that is acting hypocritcally. And the reason this editorial is coming out now is because of the hysterical and hypocrtical Syrian reaction to the US raid. The Syrian military is working hand in hand with Al-Qaida to facilitate attacks against civillians and American soldiers in Iraq, but the Syrians complain about the attack. Their chutzpah has no limits and that is what the Washington Post was pointing out.

My opinion is that Syria is very strong. It was able to close a school in retaliation. That is proof that Syria is a regional super-power. Next time someone here dares to describe Bashar and his wife as enlightened, I will remind them how they “retaliated” against the US by kicking children out of school. Enlightened indeed. As I said all along, actions speak louder than words. And Syria’s actions speak very loud.

DO NOT USE MY NAME IN VAIN!

If Syria wasn’t a regional player, why you ‘AIG’ spend your time writing and analyzing every little detail coming out of there, shouldn’t you concentrate more on important players instead of wasting your time writing on here. Spare us of your to come precious comments.

Oct 22 2008
Syria: Asma Al-Asad – Let us be open against every discrimination
“Today, in Syria, we have 1.5 million Iraqis, over 500,000 Palestinian refugees and in the six weeks of the summer of 2006 some 700,000 Lebanese have crossed the border finding refuge in Syria. It would be as if 5.8 million refugees arrived in Italy in a few months. What have we done? We have opened our schools… ensured free health care… and especially we have opened our hearts, our eyes and our ears”. This is one of the more significant excerpts of an interview with Asma al-Asad, wife of Syria’s president Bashir al-Asad, which was published by the weekly journal “Famiglia Cristiana” today. Mrs. Al-Asad, stressed that immigration is an issue that does not only affect the North of the world; she noted that in Syria, schools and been built and new classrooms established to meet the needs of 30,000 Iraqi children, who will become 50,000 next year: “We do it – she said – because if we give minors the chance to study, we support a generation, and it does not matter that they are Iraqis; they are our neighbors”. Commenting recent events, which have shown, in Italy as well, worrying signs of intolerance that often compromise peaceful coexistence, Mrs. al-Asad noted that in Syria Christians and Muslims have lived together for centuries in mutual respect: “it is something we have to protect and at the same time make it a banner around which to contrast those who look to religion as a factor for division… we need to remind that all faiths share the same values: love and compassion, respect and integrity, openness and acceptance of the other. If we return to these values, regardless of the fact that we are either Christian, Muslim or Jewish, we would discover that religion unites us”. For this reason, said Asma al-Asad, we need to pay attention and oppose the drive towards division that is coming from many sides: “When I hear talk of a clash of civilizations – said the Syrian first lady – I begin to think that this is a concept coined by people with a very closed mentality. There is but one civilization, the human one, and it does not matter where you live, where you have come from. And what faith you have”.

AIG,

From what I know about you through your 10,000 comments on this blog, I understand you are a very sensitive man (or woman). The closing of the school probably made you cry.

I’m touched.

You can keep implementing every AIPAC and camera.org propaganda trick you learned, … keep typing the word “terrorist” every other sentence … you have been doing that for over a year now.

In the mean time, Syria will continue to be there to make sure your friends will fail to redraw (mess up) the Middle East to their liking.

In few months … they will go back to Texas. President Assad will stay in Damascus to wish them good luck… like he wished Jacques Chirac good luck in his retirement (and corruption trial) … and like he will be there long after the leaders of the “Arab moderate” states are gone.

By the way … please remind me where is former Neocon super hero Alexander Haig now? He used to energize your Likudnik friends in the 80’s every time he warned Syria of severe punishment…

And … Former secretary of State George Shultz? … He has been recommending to each American administration since the 80’s to boycott and punish the Syrians.

Donald Rumsfeld? … alwas Syria’s enemy .. from the days when he used to shake hands with Syria’s enemy, Saddam Hussein, until he resigned as the worst-ever secretary of defense.

Oh … Syria is so weak. Your loud friends are strong.

Shai said:
“I started calling them “McPalin” – makes it easier, and sounds like a sandwich you’d order in McDonald’s”

you might be joking but this actually might happen in reality. You’ve heard of the drive through voting machines? I kid you not, they’re going to try them in cali.

“one mcpalin with some neocon pickles on the side please”

btw, you wanna bet who’s side (republican or democrats) has a bigger ratio of fatties amongst them? : )

Mr. Enlightened, excellent article from the SMH, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Thank you for linking.

Ya Habibi Offended:

Long time no talk!

The debate is on tonight, they are a very good series of debates. You can access it tomorrow or later on tonight sydney time. I have no luxury the wifey has me on standby for a delivery in the next 24 hours.

Dear Enlightened

Bel al salameh inshallah : )

I wonder where I can access the debate? I am sure it will be on youtube sometimes in the soon future, though.

AIG,

I hate writing long comments because i am a pretty lazy person and I have a feeling arguing with you is a futile exercise. But since no one has answered your query about the Washington post article directly i am gonna try.

WP article reflects many Western nations opinion that Syria is harboring fighter that are conducting terrorist activities in Iraq. But what they fail to remind us with is that the US has refused to open the proper diplomatic communication channels with Syria. They have systematically hindered any steps Syria has taken to build relationships with Europe or start peace negotiations with Israel. More importantly American media forgets the fact that the US army has ILLEGIALLY occupied a neighboring Arabic country. So please remember this the next time you are trying to argue about this subject: the Iraq war was WRONG and anyone who says otherwise is either a liar or a complete moron.

So, I would like to know from YOU? How would you deal with a country that helps your arch enemy (Israel) continue to hold on to a part of your country illegally. Or a country that has caused mayhem on your doorstep and millions of refugees to clog up your already faulty social system? That has blocked you from obtaining modern weapons to conduct a “clean” fight and then has the audacity to claim your harboring terrorists while at the same time praising and supporting the source of Islamic terrorist philosophy. How do you think the US should react if another country forcefully invades Mexico in the name of freedom spreading and then some Mexican militants start using the American southern border to fight them off?

You need to keep in mind that not all fighters should be considered terrorists. That said, I am sure Syria knows there are such shady characters on their soil. But it shouldn’t feel obliged to bend backwards for the US when there is a very simple way to get Syrian help on the issue. The US should simply reappoint their ambassador to Damascus and stop attempts of destabilizing it.

Dear Enlightened,

Great news! Hope everything goes smoothly… My 3rd son just turned one year old this week, what a joy… Hopefully our children will live in a world more peaceful than ours.

Offended,

For an “Axis-of-Evil blood-thirsty enemy”, you’re pretty dang funny! Loved your comment! Will use it, with credit given of course. “I’ll have one egg McPalin, hold the McCain, hold the Palin…”

Rumyal, please ask Alex for my email. I want to try to convince you not to vote McPalin…

Innocent Criminal,

Very good comment.

Alex,

Could you please share my e-mail address with Shai or vice versa?

However there is no risk that I’ll vote for McPalin, isn’t that obvious?

There is also a small technicality: I’m not a US citizen.

(It just occured to me to check my “Rumyal” inbox and saw the message from Alex. “Yes I approve” )

Rumyal, I am curious. Where are you from?

Rumyal, I know… (about the McPalin issue).

Ya Offended, since we’re basically on the same timezone, wanna get together for some coffee? We can meet halfway, if you like, say in, Mecca?

Offended,

Israeli from Haifa living in the US Northwest. Over the last few weeks I’ve left quite a few biographic details on this blog (if you are *that* curious )

Rumyal, I am sure you did. I am sorry I wasn’t keeping up with the forum. I used to be here almost everyday. But in the last few weeks there was nothing overly interesting going on. So I must have missed your biographic details.

Offended,

Where are you from/at? I checked the map. If Shai is correct and Mecca is halfway between you and him, then you must be in Somalia.

Shai, Mecca folks are a bit peculiar ’bout who should visit their turf and who shouldn’t. Let’s leave them alone to their misery. Why don’t you come over to Dubai and we can have coffee and argileh?

I am assuming you have an american passport or a uk one?

Rumyal,
I am a Syrian national living in Dubai. I’ve just checked the map, what falls right in the middle of a straight line between me and Shai is an american military base in Hafer Al Batin in Saudi Arabia, now isn’t that symbolic?

Offended,

Stop pretending you live in Dubai.

Rumyal, Offended is indeed from/at Somalia.

Offended,

Dubai sounds a hell of a lot nicer than Mecca, and I know quite a few people who’ve been there, and loved it. Yes, unfortunately, there haven’t been too many Jews allowed into Mecca in recent years, but I hope that too will change one day. Kind of funny how the Saudi king is talking about communication between the religions, yet Jews or Christians can’t even enter Mecca or Medina. Can you imagine a decree that said Muslims can’t enter the Vatican, or Rome?!?

But no, I do not hold a foreign passport, believe it or not. I could have an American one, because my mother, my wife, children, and more than half my family are American, but for that I’d have to live in the U.S. for a while. Like I wrote trying to “prove” my patriotism to AIG (as if I owed him an explanation), I am choosing to remain in Israel now, and to contribute my two-cents worth. Maybe one day my frustration will reach such levels that I’ll take “a break” for a while, like Rumyal and many others have done. But in the meantime, I’m here.

I enjoy smoking argileh with my Arab friends (sorry Alex, I know you want me to quit), so it’s a date. And if OTW joins us, I’ll bring some nice Cuban cigars as well. For the record, though, I do not smoke regularly, and never cigarettes.

Offended, I just checked the map as well, and I think what’s more or less halfway is probably a town called Ratha, in Al Hudud Ash Shamaliyah province, in North-Central Saudi Arabia. Do they have easy parking there?

Offended,

>>> now isn’t that symbolic?

Only if you’re predisposed to looking for symbols

Alex my friend. Why do you insist on blowing my cover? Can’t we Somali pirates have some privacy ? : )

: )

Read my new post … Your Dubai is in it.

http://joshualandis.com/blog/?p=1303

Offended, you’re right, halfway is probably the airbase. And I hate American “coffee”. So I’m coming you way.

Alex, I knew you’d stay up all night to put this new piece on the air. Now go to sleep! We need you strong and healthy here.

Shai,
I would certainly love to visit the holy lands once before I die. (that was not an innuendo about a suicide bombing attempt by the way ).

And I am sure there will be hell more of traveling and richer and friendlier itineraries once there is peace in place. People would get to know each other better. Maybe it’s all wishful thinking on my part. But hope is all we (civilians) have got at the moment. So let’s hope : )

Shai, one paragraph in that piece (the one offended will like) is the one you wrote to me last week.

The other, boring, parts are all mine.

I’m going to sleep.

Offended, hopefully one day you will again be able to book tours like these:

http://www.mideastimage.com/viewimages/viewimage.aspx?id=163

Boston Split

Two editorials from the same US city. The first, from the Boston Herald, is entitled Better Late Than Never:

“Whoever the next president is, he’ll owe a giant thank-you to the Bush administration for this week’s daring raid into Syria……

The Syrians insisted eight civilians were killed, including four children. That turns out not to be true. In fact, the U.S. military opted for the far more dangerous ground raid to protect civilians. But yesterday the Syrian government closed The American School and an American cultural center in protest. Somehow we’ll get over it.”

etc ad nauseam.

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/editorials/view/2008_10_29_Better_late_than_never/srvc=home&position=recent

Meanwhile over at the Boston Globe, one of the best comments I’ve read so far, headlined “In Syria, a short-sighted attack:”

THE WEEKEND attack inside Syria by US Special Operations Forces hunting for an alleged smuggler of Al Qaeda recruits into Iraq may have a fleeting tactical benefit, at best. In all other ways, it runs counter to the interests of the United States and its allies.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/10/29/in_syria_a_short_sighted_attack/

Thanks, Enlightened, for the link to the Australian debate. Is anyone in the US listening?

Speaking of Somalis, you guys need to watch this somlai comedian mimicing Amr Mousa (the arab league secretary general):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z11DGhU0MZg

Offended, Alex, In’shalla! In’shalla!!

Rumyal, check your mail.

JOA, #50

There has been all along supposedly much more that is known about this smuggler and I am going to try- when I get a moment- to look through documents posted on the National Counterterrorism site for open information that has been available on him there for months again allegedly- This all referred to in an AP IMPACT article on the matter last evening.

In addition to what Norman asked : Why, if the whereabouts were so clear and specific would Syria not be involved in a joint counter-terrorism action on this man ? It is beyond comprehension that the Syrian regime would refuse to respond to such specific information, the man’s actions would be illegal according to Syrian law as well.

Beside the issue of insult to the sovereignty of a nation which has to be handled somewhere, I suppose the UN; one is puzzled that no formal Pentagon or White House statement has been issued on the matter nor an apology and deep regret for the death of civilians, which no one has disputed, did occur { or did I miss it somehow?]

Do you have any insight on the issue of “collateral damage” and how it is actually handled in practice in the U.S. military?

Kenneth Anderson wrote a useful article, addressing the subject from the U.S. military legal standpoint, for the NY Times Magazine a few years back appropriately entitled “Who owns the rule of War ?” that I find useful to consult every once in a while.

http://tiny.cc/9Az1Q

[...] always for things Syrian, Joshua Landis at Syria Comment is worth following. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “More on US Raid into Syria”, url: [...]

Alia,

Yes, I’ve read a bit and it seems this individual has a history, including, reportedly, leading a raid earlier this year across the border that killed 11 Iraqi policemen. Also, historical news reports have indicated that Syria was asked to deal with this individual.

Now, we don’t know what went on behind the scenes. I suspect that once the US thought it had good information on his whereabouts they weren’t inclined to share with a regime they likely considered uncooperative on this particular individual. But in the end, no one really knows.

An apology would require the US to officially admit the raid took place – something that hasn’t yet occurred to my knowledge.

On “collateral damage,” it depends on the context. Although Rules of Engagement (when and how US forces can use force) are classified, one precept is that US forces can use deadly force in the face of a hostile action or hostile intent. I suspect that anyone with a weapon would have been killed in an operation like this.

There is also the issue of proximity of non-combatants to combatants. The most frequent cases where non-combatants are killed are when combatants are in close proximity to them. A simplistic example is that combatants are firing at US soldiers from a house. In response, the soldiers fire back, shoot a missile at the house, or whatever. In the aftermath, the soldiers learn there were non-combatants in the house by their returning fire. Something similar may have happened in this case since it sounds like this individual and his compatriots were in a village. If this guy and his compatriots were near non-combatants it obviously increases the chances of those non-combatants getting killed by one side or the other.

I’m not sure if that answers your query or not.

JOA,

Thanks-I would like to know a lot more on the matter of course, but I always forget that famous word “classified”….
It seems that since WWII the status of civilian populations in war zones has declined a lot in the “civilized” societies.

I cannot find trace of a report of an attack on an Iraqi police station and the death of 11 policemen near the Iraqi/Syrian border in May 2008 or before [surely it would have made the news at least for the day], and now al-Qaeda is claiming that this man Abu-Ghadyah died in 2004 near Falluja.

Look at the news of the “nuclear material” in Syria surfacing now…I am very worried that all this may be the beginning of an escalation by the U.S. aimed at Syria since Iran is too formidable an enemy to mess with before Cheney & Co fold their tent.