US Mulls Strikes In Syria

[100% ILL]

It seems the US is considering bombing insurgent training camps in Syria


http://www.aina.org/news/20050112004556.htm



Syria is the No. 1 crossing point" for guerrillas entering Iraq," Gary Gambill, editor of the Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, said. He added that Damascus "does nothing about it."

An administration official said Syria has "camps in which Syrians are training Iraqis for the insurgency and others where Iraqis are training Syrians for the same purpose" which could be hit by U.S. air strikes.

Gal Luft, a former Israeli military official with ties to Israeli and U.S. intelligence, said, "I have heard of the same thing about the camps."

Recently, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said that senior Baath Party officials from Iraq are operating from Syria where they provide financing and direction to the cells of Iraqi insurgents killing Americans, sparking new discussions within the administration about possible measures against Syria.

"There are all sorts of discussions going on, the White House, the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs," said former CIA counterterrorism chief, Vince Cannistraro.

He felt the talk of strikes "is part of a general plan of intimidation."

The White House did not return phone calls.

U.S. officials told United Press International that money, direction, weapons and personnel are flowing into Iraq from Syria, ending up in Iraqi cities such as Iskanderiya, Baqouba, Latafiya and Fallujah.

Damascus is also home to associates of a top insurgency commander now affiliated with al-Qaida, Jordanian Abu Musab Zarqawi, who is responsible for many major suicide bombing attacks in Iraq, U.S. officials said.

The presence of a Zarqawi branch in Damascus, discovered last summer, was said to have acted as a major spur in uniting France and the United States in supporting U.N. Resolution 1559 that demanded Syria withdraw from Lebanon and that elections be held in April 2005, U.S. officials said.

Gambill charged that a major Zarqawi deputy lives in Damascus.

In addition to Syria being used as a rear area for insurgents, it is a key center of finance for former Saddam Hussein officials who are leading the insurgency, thanks to stashes of Iraqi cash that could run as high as $3 billion, which is all in the Syrian banking system, according for former and serving administration officials.

There are also allegedly "many millions of dollars" from Palestinian groups flowing into Syria that are also being used to help finance anti-American guerrilla groups in Iraq, these sources said.

The Bush administration has applied increasing pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad to halt the activities of militant groups inside Syria, and to arrest and extradite former Saddam Hussein officials who are the leading financiers, according to several U.S. government sources.

So far there has been no positive response, they said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4159279.stm

[synch]

They waited longer than I thought they would have.

:(

[Ace42]

Just biding their time. No point in invading until they have the oil-extraction infrastructure in place.

[Qdrop]

but hey, isn't this where saddam hid his WMD's........




don't worry, we don't have the money or the manpower to do much in syria or any place else.

we'll be in Iraq for a while.

a long while.




and we know a draft isn't an option.....

unless we got hit by another terrorist attack.....or there was some kind assassination attempt on our president or other official, ect......
hmmm......that would actually bode well for the republicans and their agenda...wouldn't it?

someone stuck me with the "conspiracy juice" today....

[SobaViolence]

syria is evil, bla bla bla, sadistic baathist dogs, evil extremist syria, bla bla bla...oh, by the way, stop trainning insurgents and laundering their money, it hurts our feelings...

americans are fucking pussies.

[Ace42]

Iran isn't an arab country. It is Persian. And Iran is a dangerous prospect, due to the UK being on... relatively good terms with them. RE: Our soldiers being returned promptly when they strayed into Iranian territory.

[ASsman]

This will never end. The US won't let it, they need some excuse for it's imperialism. And the USSR has fallen...

[Qdrop]

This will never end. The US won't let it, they need some excuse for it's imperialism. And the USSR has fallen...

we need the oil...and the trade/industry satelites.......
it's the only way we can mantain our "top of the food chain" status....

and we don't like sharing.....

[100% ILL]

Somewhat related:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050113/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_russia_4

Israel Urges Russia to Halt Sale to Syria

JERUSALEM - The planned sale of advanced Russian missiles to Syria will disrupt regional stability and Moscow should call off the deal, Israel's foreign minister said Thursday.

Israel fears that the shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles could fall into the hands of Lebanese guerrillas and be aimed at Israeli targets.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom was the first official to confirm publicly that Israel has asked Russia to halt the deal, which has clouded Israel-Russia relations.

"We turned to the Russians and asked that they not complete this deal," Shalom said. "Syria is a country that supports terror and is supplying Hezbollah with weapons nonstop."

The sale "will disrupt regional stability and won't improve the chances for peace," Shalom said.

"I trust that President Putin will not do anything that will go against the stability of the region, which is as much an interest for him as it is an interest for us," Solana said after a meeting with Shalom in Tel Aviv.

The deal for the sale of advanced Igla SA-18 missiles was signed a few days ago, officials said. Experts said the anti-aircraft missiles could endanger frequent Israeli flights over Lebanon and on the Israeli side of the border.

[Echewta]

Ummm, don't we have a crap load of U.S. troops along the border of Iraq and Syria? I would think that would make sense. If its the biggest threat, why don't WE have that border sealed? Bring in more troops if thats what we have to do.

Damn, I've only play Risk and crap and I can figure this out.

[100% ILL]

Ummm, don't we have a crap load of U.S. troops along the border of Iraq and Syria? I would think that would make sense. If its the biggest threat, why don't WE have that border sealed? Bring in more troops if thats what we have to do.

Damn, I've only play Risk and crap and I can figure this out.

Yes, but first we have to give Syria every opprotunity to help fix the problem themselves. You know without outside involvement, then we May have to step in to secure the border.

[Whois]

Damn, I've only play Risk and crap and I can figure this out.

Which makes me yearn to play Risk with Bush...I'll always win.

[D_Raay]

It should be noted 100% Ill, that Russia has denied that they are selling anything to Syria....http://www.securitypronews.com/worldsecurity/ws_news/spn-59-20050113RussiaDeniesDealingMissilesToSyria.html

[100% ILL]

Yes, I read that on this site (http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1636918&PageNum=0) after I'd posted.

Someone is being dishonest. The first posted link was off an Israeli news site.

[D_Raay]

The first posted link was off an Israeli news site.
And there lies your answer....

[100% ILL]

And there lies your answer....

You're saying that the Israeli sight is lying? It is a possibility, but bear in mind, Russia has been selling off arms to China and India as of late. What's one more eager customer going to hurt?

[Ace42]

Russia has problems with muslim extremists though. Putin's government is VERY touchy about the Chechnyans, and has publicly criticised the connection with middle-eastern Islamic terrorists.

I can't see Putin endorsing weapons trading with Islamic states that support terrorism against the west. He'd know it will just end up in his own back yard. Especially after Beslan.

[D_Raay]

Yes. And furthermore it is my belief that we are influenced greatly by Israeli's wants and ambitions, regardless of the authenticity of it.

[59 Chrystie St.]

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2005/120105perspective.htm

[100% ILL]

I just found this, so it appears your assumption was correct. I could find nothing to the contrary.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/01/13/001.html

A prominent defense think tank in Moscow, the Center for Analysis and Strategic Studies, said it was unlikely Russia would jeopardize its relationship with both Israel and the United States by selling missiles to Syria -- and suggested Kommersant's report was an attempt by its owner, self-exiled billionaire Boris Berezovsky, to embarrass President Vladimir Putin, whom he helped bring to power.

"I don't think it is serious," CAST director Ruslan Pukhov said. "It is hard to imagine that [Rosboronexport chief Viktor] Chemezov does not understand the consequences of such deliveries to Syria."

Even if Kommersant's report is true, Syria could not afford the roughly $2 billion that the weapons the paper mentioned would cost, Pukhov added.

[100% ILL]

http://www.aina.org/news/20050125133514.htm

WASHINGTON -- As reported recently in Middle East Newsline, The United States has determined that the Iraqi embassy in Syria serves to facilitate the flow of insurgents to fight the coalition in Iraq.

Syrian President Bashar Assad is currently visiting Moscow while pursuing a secretive weapons deal that includes missiles and other arms.

Damascus this week also extended an invitation to Israel to conduct high-level diplomatic talks to work towards what is billed as a comprehensive peace plan between the two nations.

U.S. officials said the Iraqi embassy in Damascus has refused to submit to the authority of the interim government in Baghdad. They said the embassy has provided passports at sharply reduced costs to Islamic volunteers who have joined the Sunni insurgency movement.

The Iraqi embassy in Damascus has been one of at least two embassies that have refused to come under the authority of the Foreign Ministry in Baghdad and remain aligned with Saddam Hussein loyalists. The other Iraqi embassy was that in Libya.

Officials said the Iraqi embassy in Damascus has arranged to issue passports for a range of Arab nationals who seek to join the insurgency. They said that for $95, or 5,000 Syrian pounds, applicants can receive a passport within a day.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/050125/2005012516.html

Syria is the most important partner for Russia in the Middle East: Russian spokesman
Syria-Russia, Politics, 1/25/2005

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Yakovenko on Sunday described the Syrian-Russian relations as "friendly and of rich history." "Syria is the most important partner for Russia in the Middle East" Yakovenko said.

In a statement on the occasion of President Bashar al-Assad's state visit to Russia which starts today, Yakovenko added that Moscow hopes that the Syrian-Russian Summit would push the bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries in all fields forward.

"Syria is a key state in the Middle East." Yakovenko said clarifying that the summit will discuss developments of the situation in the ME region.

Russia, Syria conclude several agreements on cooperation

25.01.2005, 16.38


http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1676304&PageNum=0


MOSCOW, January 25 (Itar-Tass) - Russia and Syria concluded five agreements on cooperation in various fields in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

The interstate petroleum company Soyuzneftegaz and the Syrian Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources concluded an agreement on the construction of a plant for the production of basalt-plastic pipes and agreement on cooperation in the oil/gas industry.

Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa signed an intergovernmental agreement on international motor service.

Russian Minister of Economic Development German Gref and Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Hosni Lutfi signed an intergovernmental agreement on encouragement and mutual protection of investments.

A memorandum was also signed at a session of the Russian-Syrian business council.

The agreements were concluded during the tete-a-tete talks of presidents of Russia and Syria Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad in the Green Room of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Meanwhile, a protocol coordinating the main parameters of repaying the Syrian debt is expected to be signed. This document will probably be signed on Wednesday when the Syrian president will have talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.