Syrian Army told to raise their readiness -

[Martin]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsar...src=rss&rpc=22

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the Syrian military on Monday to raise its readiness, pledging not to abandon support for Lebanese resistance against Israel.

"We are facing international circumstances and regional challenges that require caution, alert, readiness and preparedness," Assad said.
"The barbaric war of annihilation the Israeli aggression is waging on our people in Lebanon and Palestine is increasing in ferocity," Assad said in a written address on the occasion of the 61st anniversary of the foundation of the Syria Arab Army.

Diplomats in Damascus say the Syrian army has been on alert since the Israeli onslaught on Lebanon began on July 12 after Hizbollah fighters captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border operation.

[Big Red 11]

Ahhh...sh*t. If syria gets involved, then so will Iran, then somehow a nuclear device will be detonated in israel, dirty or otherwise, and then the whole world goes to h*ll.

[PinknProud]

Does anyone else think this is playing out exactly as Israel planned? Ever since it started I've questioned why they are targeting so much infratructure in Lebanon. Why do that unless you plan to occupy? In my more paranoid moments I wonder if Israel and the US didn't come to a 'gentlemen's' agreement. Israel gets the green light and public support from the US. They get to take out an old enemy Hezbollah and move on to Syria. The US is happy because Syria gets taken out without the US being the bad guy this time around. The captured israeli soldiers are just a pretext. Given Hezbollah/Hamas history, they knew a pretext would be readily available whenever they wanted to start this off. If they are really lucky, Iran will jump in to defend Syria against a superior Israeli military and the US then has an excuse to move on Iran, which eventually becomes another Iraq. The snag in the plan is the disreguard the Israelis have for non-Israeli human life and the resultant media attention and world condemnation. Of course, Hezbollah doesn't have any more reguard for human life, not even that of their own supporters. So, while Syria and perhaps Iran play into Israel/US plans, Israel is also playing into Hezbollah's hands. Israel is guarenteeing a new generation of suicide bombers and terrorism with all the civilian casualties in Lebanon, just like the US is doing in Iraq. It's always amazed me how short-sighted people are about 'collaterel damage'. It's all insanity, plain and simple.

[Big Red 11]

Israel is targeting infrastructure because that is the best way to destroy Hezbollah. Nobody wants Syria and Iran to become involved, because Iran has nuclear capabilities and has enough terrorist ties to make it dangerous.

[Martin]

Does anyone else think this is playing out exactly as Israel planned? Ever since it started I've questioned why they are targeting so much infratructure in Lebanon. Why do that unless you plan to occupy? In my more paranoid moments I wonder if Israel and the US didn't come to a 'gentlemen's' agreement.

I agree with you that there is alot of fishy stuff going on now.. Im not quite sure what to think about it all. Alot of the stuff Israel has done has been very over the top lately. The initial altercation should of NEVER escalated this far.. I dont understand what they are trying to accomplish.. Hezbollah is just hiding now...once Israel leaves, they'll come back.. Why invade a country, kill hundreds of innocent civilians, and occupy their land just because 2 soldiers were taken hostage?

And what aggravated me alot several days ago is when they declared that they will have a "48 HOUR cease fire". and 12 hours later they blew it off and said screw it...there wont be no cease fire. Goes to show that they are not reliable and do not stick to their word. And just now there is breaking news that they have Israel soldiers on the syrian border.. Have they lost their mind?

quote from the cnn breaking news alert:

Israeli forces are operating in Baalbeck area, northeast Lebanon -- about 50 miles from Lebanese capital, Beirut, and near border with Syria.

[RadioactiveMan]

Hezbollah didn't just take two prisoners. They killed other soldiers and, most importantly, fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Sounds like a good cause for war if there ever was one.

And why not occupy? I'm sure that the people of Israel are tired of being attacked and wish for a more permanent way to make their country safer. If withdrawing every time they push the Muslims back into their own country hasn't been working, what do the Israelis have left?

[Big Red 11]

Originally Posted by RadioactiveMan

Hezbollah didn't just take two prisoners. They killed other soldiers and, most importantly, fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Sounds like a good cause for war if there ever was one.

And why not occupy? I'm sure that the people of Israel are tired of being attacked and wish for a more permanent way to make their country safer. If withdrawing every time they push the Muslims back into their own country hasn't been working, what do the Israelis have left?

The rockets were fired in response to israeli rockets.

I understand Israel is pissed at the raid on their soldiers, but launching a full air and ground offensive in a region so volatile and filled with secret alliances and terrorist groups is not only over-reaction, it's simply foolhardy.

[PinknProud]

Originally Posted by RadioactiveMan

Hezbollah didn't just take two prisoners. They killed other soldiers and, most importantly, fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Sounds like a good cause for war if there ever was one.

I was under the impression that the 'thousands' of rockets fired by Hezbollah all occurred after Israel launched their offensive, at the least the bombing from the air. Yes, Hezbollah did kill other soldiers when they took the 2 hostages. My point is that Hamas and Hezbollah have both attacked israeli border posts numerous time in the past w/o triggering the massive assault we are seeing here. Thus, my suspicion that Israel is just using the incident as a pretext for full-out war.

And why not occupy? I'm sure that the people of Israel are tired of being attacked and wish for a more permanent way to make their country safer. If withdrawing every time they push the Muslims back into their own country hasn't been working, what do the Israelis have left?

While I'm no fan of Hezbollah, Israel's hands are just as bloody and they are just as culpable in this whole mess. I agree Israelis are sick of being attacked but don't you think citizens in Palestine and Lebanon are sick of being attacked in retaliation when they had nothing to do with it? I'm not on Israel's side and I'm not on Hamas/Hezbollah/PLO's side. I feel for the citizens in the whole region. I am continually sickened by both the Israeli military and the terrorists when they butcher civilians.

There are several things that ring false to me between what Israel is saying and what it is doing. One is the massive targeting of infrastructure. I mean cmon, Hezbollah is a guerilla organization which, by definition, doesn't need an infrastructure. How does bombing the Beirut airport hurt them? How is bombing hospitals acceptable? Why don't the Geneva conventions apply? Because the US and Israel say they don't?

Another is the claim that they want to ensure Hezbollah is rendered ineffective. It must be obvious that what is going on in Lebanon now will, at best, guarantee Hezbollah a huge pool of manpower to recruit from for the next 20 years. So, either Israel is being dishonest or incredibly short-sighted. If Israel really wanted peace, they would be racheting down the violence that inevitably leads to tit-for-tat reprisals for years, not enraging millions of their neighbours. Northern Ireland has come a long way toward a peaceful solution, but do you think the violence suddenly stopped? Of course not, but what the people in Ireland have allowed to gradually take place is the lessening of retaliation attacks. There will always be thugs, killers and psychopaths hiding in any military organization that will continue the violence. The key is to hold the line and not give in to that ancient impulse to retaliate.

The other thing I find hard to digest is Israel saying (and you repeating) that the peace process wasn't working. As a mere outside observer that follows the news, I felt that it was making headway, slow yes but moving upstream nonetheless. Hamas getting elected wasn't the terrible thing that the US and Israel made it out to be b/c it forces the militants to deal with humanitarian issues and diplomatic realities. Did Israel expect attacks to suddenly end? That peace would arrive in a few months? Like Ireland, it will take years, maybe decades for the violence to drop to a level that could be considered peaceful. The election of Hamas should also have opened Israel's eyes to the fact that the Palestinian people must have some real and deep grievances that maybe should be addressed.

I could go on, but you see the gist of what I'm saying? It's not a simple case of Hezbollah are terrorists and therefore Israel can do no wrong. No matter how evil you consider your enemy, if you stoop to his level, you're no better than he is.

[Martin]

Originally Posted by PinknProud

I was under the impression that the 'thousands' of rockets fired by Hezbollah all occurred after Israel launched their offensive, at the least the bombing from the air. Yes, Hezbollah did kill other soldiers when they took the 2 hostages. My point is that Hamas and Hezbollah have both attacked israeli border posts numerous time in the past w/o triggering the massive assault we are seeing here. Thus, my suspicion that Israel is just using the incident as a pretext for full-out war.



While I'm no fan of Hezbollah, Israel's hands are just as bloody and they are just as culpable in this whole mess. I agree Israelis are sick of being attacked but don't you think citizens in Palestine and Lebanon are sick of being attacked in retaliation when they had nothing to do with it? I'm not on Israel's side and I'm not on Hamas/Hezbollah/PLO's side. I feel for the citizens in the whole region. I am continually sickened by both the Israeli military and the terrorists when they butcher civilians.

There are several things that ring false to me between what Israel is saying and what it is doing. One is the massive targeting of infrastructure. I mean cmon, Hezbollah is a guerilla organization which, by definition, doesn't need an infrastructure. How does bombing the Beirut airport hurt them? How is bombing hospitals acceptable? Why don't the Geneva conventions apply? Because the US and Israel say they don't?

Another is the claim that they want to ensure Hezbollah is rendered ineffective. It must be obvious that what is going on in Lebanon now will, at best, guarantee Hezbollah a huge pool of manpower to recruit from for the next 20 years. So, either Israel is being dishonest or incredibly short-sighted. If Israel really wanted peace, they would be racheting down the violence that inevitably leads to tit-for-tat reprisals for years, not enraging millions of their neighbours. Northern Ireland has come a long way toward a peaceful solution, but do you think the violence suddenly stopped? Of course not, but what the people in Ireland have allowed to gradually take place is the lessening of retaliation attacks. There will always be thugs, killers and psychopaths hiding in any military organization that will continue the violence. The key is to hold the line and not give in to that ancient impulse to retaliate.

The other thing I find hard to digest is Israel saying (and you repeating) that the peace process wasn't working. As a mere outside observer that follows the news, I felt that it was making headway, slow yes but moving upstream nonetheless. Hamas getting elected wasn't the terrible thing that the US and Israel made it out to be b/c it forces the militants to deal with humanitarian issues and diplomatic realities. Did Israel expect attacks to suddenly end? That peace would arrive in a few months? Like Ireland, it will take years, maybe decades for the violence to drop to a level that could be considered peaceful. The election of Hamas should also have opened Israel's eyes to the fact that the Palestinian people must have some real and deep grievances that maybe should be addressed.

I could go on, but you see the gist of what I'm saying? It's not a simple case of Hezbollah are terrorists and therefore Israel can do no wrong. No matter how evil you consider your enemy, if you stoop to his level, you're no better than he is.

Alot of good points, Pink. I also do not understand Israel's objective. Theres noway their going to eliminate Hezbollah by doing what their doing now. They must be on crack. If anything they just angered a WHOLE lot of people in the middle east. This new prime minister is all about war. I almost feel like saying "someone needs to stop that guy". Does he not know he is so close to creating WW III? Or does he even care? doesnt seem like it.

How does bombing the Beirut airport hurt them?

To prevent re-enforcements from flying in to help Hezbollah I believe... I have no clue why their bombing hospitals though..

[waltky]

Syria caught with No. Korean nuke material...

'Israel seized N Korean nuke material from Syria'
24 Sep 2007, Elite Israeli forces seized North Korean nuclear material during a raid on a secret military site in Syria before Israeli warplanes bombed it September 6, a newspaper reported on Sunday.

Britain’s Sunday Times quoted well-placed sources as saying the commandos seized the material from a compound near Dayr az-Zwar in northern Syria and that tests of it in Israel showed it was of North Korean origin.

Israel had been surveying the site for months, according to Washington and Israeli sources quoted by the British newspaper which gave no date for the commando raid or details about the sensitive material seized.

An unidentified senior American source quoted by The Sunday Times added that the American government sought proof of nuclear-related activities before allowing the air strike by F-151 warplanes to go ahead.

The raid by the elite Sayeret Matkal was personally directed by Ehud Barak, Israel’s defence minister who once commanded the unit, the newspaper said. It said he had been preoccupied with the site since assuming his post on June 18.

MORE

See also:

Israel braces for Syrian response
05 October 2007 - Both Israel and Syria have acknowledged an Israeli operation on Syrian soil

Israel is preparing for a Syrian response to the 6 September raid in northeast Syria, after both countries confirmed that the attack took place. Israeli intelligence agencies are mostly concerned that the Syrian response will be in the form of a terror attack on an Israeli target around the world. Israeli official delegations worldwide and airlines were ordered to increase precautions, recalling the Syrian attempt to bomb an El-Al flight from London to Tel Aviv in 1986.

"I believe that the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad would rather act through proxies, such as terrorist organisation, than test his army in war against Israel," former Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Moshe Ya'alon told Jane's.

Indeed, when asked by the British Broadcasting Corporation if he intends to retaliate against Israel, Syria's President Assad said: "Retaliate does not mean missile for missile and bomb for bomb. We have our means to retaliate, maybe politically, maybe in other ways. But we have the right to retaliate."

Israel braces for Syrian response - Jane's Country Risk News