Americans are often confused about what is actually happening in Iraq. The news from military personnel in country is often in direct conflict with reports on the national news. Car bombs and beheadings vie with more optimistic reports from people like Allawi. John Kerry has now decided to focus his campaign on Iraq perhaps sensing an opportunity to dig into Dubya’s lead.
What are we to think about all this?
I see another indicator that many people may not be reading correctly, or are simply ignoring. In the last two weeks there have been two significant announcements from Assad’s government in Damascas. They received little coverage, but might just be the most telling indicator of success or failure in Iraq.
First, Syria announced they would be pulling troops from Lebanon, and would cooperate with US forces to patrol their border with Iraq. Last week, they were shopping around for a country to take the Baathist scientists who fled to Syria as the war began.
Assad knows he is on the hit list. And he has been playing the game as best he can to stay in power. Syria has been supportive, in an Arab sort of way, of our efforts to cut funding links to al Queda and other organizations while openly supporting groups like Hamas. They have done this quietly so as not to draw attention to themselves. Now they are becoming much more open, and it isn’t because they’ve have a change of heart about the use of terrorism.
Things in Iraq must be better than we hear. The “insurgents” must be on their last leg. Assad sees the potential for another US offensive sometime soon. Syria and Iran are prime targets. They both know that. Which one do you think Assad wants to see hit?
I think you’re right.
The Syrians, unlike the Iranians, pose no real credible threat to the US military.
Assad has been played and he knows it.
He backed the wrong horse in Iraq and has few friends in the region, as he can’t really afford to cozy up with Iran.
Further, if it was proved that Syria did indeed hide Saddam’s weapons, and/or transhipped them, they’re toast.
They got busted in Sudan using WMD’s. That may have gotten little play, but you can be sure it was a bell ringer here.
Comment by AH — September 27, 2004 @ 10:09 am
Good eye!
Comment by RedFalcon — September 27, 2004 @ 2:36 pm
Thank you, Bunker, I hadn’t heard of these developments.
I’m not so sure that the insurgents are on their last legs, though. You’re certainly right in that Assad sees himself as a target. He sees that if Bush wins, which is looking more probable, he has a bullseye on his forhead for four more years. He knows that even if the insurgents keep up some attacks they will lose in the long run.
Comment by The Redhunter — September 28, 2004 @ 4:39 pm
Iraqi WMD Moved
NewsMax.com: Inside Cover Story Here’s a scoope from NewsMax: Lt. Gen. Michael DeLong (USMC Ret.), who until last September was the No. 2 in command of the Iraq war under Gen. Tommy Franks, revealed Sunday that U.S. military intelligence had…
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