Syria gets caught
Well, maybe not "caught" but most certainly "caught out." Intelligence pundits have long been speculating that Syria was the home of Iraq's WMDs and almost certainly the source of the weapons headed to Hezbollah from Iran. Also, the largest transit point for jihadis headed to Iraq to blow themselves up. A general pain in the ass, in other words.
Less well known is that Syria was working with the North Koreans -- North Korean personnel were known to have been in Damascus working to give the Syrian SCUD fleet extra range with which to blow Israelis to their makers. Now, it turns out, Israel was keeping tabs on certain North Korean flagged vessels that miraculously changed flags to South Korea in transit -- vessels that docked in June on the Syrian coast. While I am surprised that Israel did not arrange for an accident in transit ... say an unaccountable sinking ... it does appear that Israel managed to keep tabs on the actual material being shipped. Pretty damn brave, if you ask me, but it looks like it paid off.
On September 6, reports the London Times, Israeli F-15s crossed the Syrian coastline inbound. Somehow, the air defenses went down (I am sure that the poor sum-bitch on duty is presently dangling by his privates while Bashir Asaad
examines him closely with a cattle prod) and the Israeli jets rendezvous'd with commandos waiting to paint their targets with lasers. This particular target was a large underground depot. Syrians and other sources initially misdirected the media with implications that the depot was a weapons cache for Hezbollah.
Now it appears that AQ Khan, the architect of the Paki-bomb may have been involved. And, of course, the North Koreans. Was the cache nuclear material that Assad was hiding for the North Koreans? Was it material bound for Iran? Was it a do-it-yourself for Syria courtesy of North Korea? Syria was alerted by the Russians last month that the Israelis might be planning an attack (thanks Putin, you asshole), but the Syrians beefed up the Golan Heights. The ship supposedly offloaded cargo labeled "cement", but I doubt that Israel would take the time to bomb cement.
Syrian passengers have been noted on flights from Beijing to Pyongyang and on the trains out of North Korea to China. Syria is also known to have been the trans-shipment place for more than $100 million worth of missile components from North Korea to Iran. Syrian owns somewhere between 60-120 SCUD-C missiles -- all sourced from North Korea and which the Koreans have been trying to extend the 300 mile range. This means that the deserts of northeastern Syria can be used to base missiles and still hit Israel. This is also the site of the Israeli strike. Hezbollah? Doesn't look like it.
Iran's Ahmadinejad sent his nephew to assess the damage in Syria. And as the Times points out, Syrian air defenses are a lot stronger than Iranian systems. And the Israelis blew in, blew up and blew out. No losses. Syria is not a bunch of rag-heads holed up in bombed out buildings sharing food with the rats (Hezbollah's preferred residence) -- it is a modern military state with easily definable targets and Israel proved once again that it is more than a match for that type of combat.
In passing, we need to note that Russia and China jumped all over France for telling the West that they needed to prepare for war. Ahmadinecrazy predictably called France an American stooge -- not that anyone seriously can believe that one, even in the Middle East. What I don't "get" is this: Russia and China have large Muslim populations currently within their borders. Russia may even have its eyes on reclaiming some of its break-away nations to recreate a larger Soviet Union. All these lands are chock-a-block with wild-eyed, crazy, die-for-Allah types.... Why on Earth are they supporting the Iranians? Just for the short-term goal of messing with the US of A (and allies with similar interests)? Muslims look on the godless of all stripes with about the same hatred. Just look at the Chechens. Not exactly Moscow-friendly. Now give them nukes. The Chechens would use them. No doubt.
None of this is any good. None of it.
Next: Hillarycare Part Two. Or how to make everyone pay.
Less well known is that Syria was working with the North Koreans -- North Korean personnel were known to have been in Damascus working to give the Syrian SCUD fleet extra range with which to blow Israelis to their makers. Now, it turns out, Israel was keeping tabs on certain North Korean flagged vessels that miraculously changed flags to South Korea in transit -- vessels that docked in June on the Syrian coast. While I am surprised that Israel did not arrange for an accident in transit ... say an unaccountable sinking ... it does appear that Israel managed to keep tabs on the actual material being shipped. Pretty damn brave, if you ask me, but it looks like it paid off.
On September 6, reports the London Times, Israeli F-15s crossed the Syrian coastline inbound. Somehow, the air defenses went down (I am sure that the poor sum-bitch on duty is presently dangling by his privates while Bashir Asaad
examines him closely with a cattle prod) and the Israeli jets rendezvous'd with commandos waiting to paint their targets with lasers. This particular target was a large underground depot. Syrians and other sources initially misdirected the media with implications that the depot was a weapons cache for Hezbollah.Now it appears that AQ Khan, the architect of the Paki-bomb may have been involved. And, of course, the North Koreans. Was the cache nuclear material that Assad was hiding for the North Koreans? Was it material bound for Iran? Was it a do-it-yourself for Syria courtesy of North Korea? Syria was alerted by the Russians last month that the Israelis might be planning an attack (thanks Putin, you asshole), but the Syrians beefed up the Golan Heights. The ship supposedly offloaded cargo labeled "cement", but I doubt that Israel would take the time to bomb cement.
Syrian passengers have been noted on flights from Beijing to Pyongyang and on the trains out of North Korea to China. Syria is also known to have been the trans-shipment place for more than $100 million worth of missile components from North Korea to Iran. Syrian owns somewhere between 60-120 SCUD-C missiles -- all sourced from North Korea and which the Koreans have been trying to extend the 300 mile range. This means that the deserts of northeastern Syria can be used to base missiles and still hit Israel. This is also the site of the Israeli strike. Hezbollah? Doesn't look like it.
Iran's Ahmadinejad sent his nephew to assess the damage in Syria. And as the Times points out, Syrian air defenses are a lot stronger than Iranian systems. And the Israelis blew in, blew up and blew out. No losses. Syria is not a bunch of rag-heads holed up in bombed out buildings sharing food with the rats (Hezbollah's preferred residence) -- it is a modern military state with easily definable targets and Israel proved once again that it is more than a match for that type of combat.
In passing, we need to note that Russia and China jumped all over France for telling the West that they needed to prepare for war. Ahmadinecrazy predictably called France an American stooge -- not that anyone seriously can believe that one, even in the Middle East. What I don't "get" is this: Russia and China have large Muslim populations currently within their borders. Russia may even have its eyes on reclaiming some of its break-away nations to recreate a larger Soviet Union. All these lands are chock-a-block with wild-eyed, crazy, die-for-Allah types.... Why on Earth are they supporting the Iranians? Just for the short-term goal of messing with the US of A (and allies with similar interests)? Muslims look on the godless of all stripes with about the same hatred. Just look at the Chechens. Not exactly Moscow-friendly. Now give them nukes. The Chechens would use them. No doubt.
None of this is any good. None of it.
Next: Hillarycare Part Two. Or how to make everyone pay.
posted by Zaphod at Tuesday, September 18, 2007
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