an-Nahar: Pentagon Favors Air Strikes on Syria to Overthrow Assad, Free Lebanon

an-Nahar (Beirut) ^ | March 4, 2005

[HAL9000]

The Pentagon is now convinced that air strikes on Syria have become necessary to overthrow the Assad regime, liberate Lebanon and stop support of insurgents waging a guerrilla war against American forces in Iraq as well as Palestinian militants against Israel, the U.S.-sponsored Al Hurra TV network says.

"Political action to deal with the problem of Syria's presence in Lebanon and its support of terrorism against Israel and Iraq is no longer deemed effective," Al Hurra quoted American intelligence sources as saying, according to slain ex-Premier Hariri's Al Mustaqbal newspaper on Friday.

"Diplomacy as a means to deal with countries supporting terrorism is over and out. The situation is now open to all eventualities as far as Syria is concerned," the sources were quoted as saying by the Arabic-language Al Hurra.

"Resolving problems with Syria now requires changing the Syrian regime or mounting air attacks similar to those staged against Afghanistan and Sudan in August 1998 to wipe out terrorist centers once and for all," the U.S. intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

"The U.S. central command for Iraq and Afghanistan is closely following the situation in Lebanon and Syria and senior Pentagon officials are now convinced that hitting terrorist targets in Syria is necessary," Al Hurra said.

"The elimination of Syrian-supported terrorism groups is now deemed 'strategically vital' for stability in the Middle east, particularly Iraq, which is unattainable at present under the current Syrian regime," the station said.

[DannyTN]

While the pentagon might very well be of that opinion. I doubt this paper knows anything at all and is just blustering.

However I think that the US should mass troops on the Syrian Border and see if Syria will continue to dig in in lebanon or bring it's troops home.

[HAL9000]

The interesting thing is that the report is being attributed to al Hurra.

Check out the fine print at the bottom of the al Hurra web site.

[injin]

During the original assault , after Baghdad fell , I thought
the 4th I.D. should have turned left and gone right in.
We would have found the missing WMD's if they had , I bet.

[DannyTN]

I really think the Baathists in Syria are going to continue to try to destabilize their neighbors. They need to be eliminated.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Launching airstrikes seem fine,but I really don't see how that's going to overthrow Assad.It could kill him,but anyway most folks know that Assad is just one figure in Syria with a lot of shady & powerful characters around him.Taking out terrorist installations with air or missile attack seems feasible.

[Berosus]

As far as I'm concerned, Assad's nickname should be "Saddam Lite." If the Syrian Baathists aren't responsible for as many atrocities as the Iraqi ones, it's because Assad is nearly thirty years younger than Saddam Hussein, and dumber as well.

[Dog]

Someone just turned the heat up. Assad better heed this warning.

[lentulusgracchus]

However I think that the US should mass troops on the Syrian Border and see if Syria will continue to dig in in lebanon or bring it's troops home.

Don't wait for it....... just drive right through the Syrians and get into the Bekaa Valley......we have unfinished business with some people there.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Hint to Kurds, an ethnic cleansing of baathists might be in order.

The Kurds can then use Syria as part of their new homeland called Kurdistan.

[beckaz]

That coffee's been percolating for years now (for the US and Israel). If true, and I think it is, someone finally woken up to smell that proverbial brew.

"Political action to deal with the problem of Syria's presence in Lebanon and its support of terrorism against Israel and Iraq is no longer deemed effective"

You have got to be kidding me!!! When was it ever??? Was it with Iraq, Libya? Is it working with Iran now? Should we send Jimmah C. to N. Korea again?

[Kolokotronis]

" Check out the fine print at the bottom of the al Hurra web site"

Well that little footnote may speak volumes about what is going on!

[Non-Sequitur]

For the last 70 years we've been hearing about how airpower alone can win a conflict. And for 70 years every one of those conflicts was settled by boots on the ground in country. And right now we're short of boots.

[SampleMan]

The finding of Saddam's WMD in Syria would completely demolish the what remains of the Left. It would even be a body blow to the European Left (as entrenched as it is).

Also interesting would be the reaction of Iran, as they just recently announced the equivalent of a defensive alliance pact with Syria. This pact was no doubt engineered by the Iranians to protect themselves, but it is questionable whether they would go high order to protect Syria.

However, an Iranian attack on us would give Bush the green light to get rid of the Iranian nukes. Yes, they could close the SOH for weeks or more, but when the US Navy was done, they wouldn't have a rowboat or silkworm left. Their closing down the oil trade is a bluff anyway. They can close the Gulf for a short time. We can end their exports with a Naval blockade for as long as we like.

If the Iranians were to close the Gulf it might be a long term blessing. The oil starved Europeans and Japanese might just find 10 divisions to "stabilize and democratize" Iran. China's economy would implode, while the US payed higher prices, but also drew down the national oil reserve, which Bush has been filling to record levels for the past four years.

It almost seems like a master plan is unfolding. Time to purchase some oil futures I suppose.

[tkathy]

The awesome mystique of the American military should never be underestimated. Some loud saber rattling would go a long way to send the cowardly murderous rats back into their sewer.

[skinkinthegrass]

Radio-Free Islam..has a nice ring. :) like Radio-Free Europe...55 years ago.

[Robe]

The interesting thing is that the report is being attributed to al Hurra. Check out the fine print at the bottom of the al Hurra web site. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ya mean this one ????

[Prince Charles]

I would be a damn shame if Syrian weapons depots accidentally were blown to smithereens. But, accidents can happen.

[Cap Huff]

Curious choice of words "Diplomacy as a means to deal with countries supporting terrorism is over and out."

It made me think of a blog article posted Across the Bay:

http://beirut2bayside.blogspot.com/2005/03/over-and-out.html

Just a coincidence I guess.

[txrangerette]

Just thought of a couple of things...

Remember in Europe they kept asking Bush if he would be attacking IRAN? He says no, we want diplomacy etc etc, but all options remain open. Not one question asked him if he was about to attack SYRIA... But if we attack or scare SYRIA into moving out and other things, we have one more weight of evidence to bring down on IRAN that we WOULD go after them.

The second thing...the Dems and MSM will start screaming that we can't divert troops from Iraq to threaten Syria, to try to stop Bush from succeeding. Then we remind people that the same naysayers said we couldn't succeed in Iraq without diverting from Afghanistan, and that if we did divert, Afghanistan would go down the drain, but it is going well.

Good stuff!!!