Posted on 08/28/2013 1:12:34 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
JERUSALEM — Israel has assessed that Iran was testing non-conventional weapons in Syria.
The Israeli intelligence community has determined that Iran was testing a range of chemical weapons in Syria amid the war against President Bashar Assad. Officials said the tests included those of CW warheads on artillery shells fired toward Sunni rebel strongholds in August.
“In fact, Assad’s regime has become a full Iranian client and Syria has become Iran’s testing ground,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. “Now the whole world is watching. Iran is watching and it wants to see what would be the reaction on the use of chemical weapons.”
During a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Aug. 25, Netanyahu was said to have voiced the intelligence assessment that the CW shells fired toward rebel strongholds around Damascus on Aug. 21 marked an attack by Assad’s military. The prime minister said Iran and Hizbullah, which have a CW arsenal, sought to test the international reaction to a major non-conventional weapons attack.
“What is happening in Syria, simply demonstrates what will happen if Iran gets even deadlier weapons,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli intelligence community assessed that Iran and Hizbullah pressed for the CW attack. Officials said Assad was no longer in control over much of his country as well as key military units.
“What we see in Syria is how extremist regimes have no reservations whatsoever about using these weapons even when they use it against innocent civilians, against their own people,” Netanyahu said.
Officials said the United States was expected to launch limited missile strikes against Assad in wake of the CW attack, which killed between 360 and 1,300 people. They said Israel’s military was on alert to stop any campaign by Iran, Hizbullah and Syria.
“From Israel’s point-of-view, the challenge will be to remain outside the picture,” Israeli defense analyst Yoav Limor said. “The natural concern is that with its back to the wall, Syria — or Hizbullah and Iran — would be liable to direct their fire at us as well in order to complicate things or unite the Arab world against us.”
Yes, I get it —Israel would like the US to attack Iran.
Okay, okay, okay.
We get it.
And release Pollard, who is such a great hero, yes, three bags full.
Yessiree.
Not a coincidence that the Baath Socialist faction at FR isn’t too fond of Israel.
This testing aspect wouldn’t surprise me—the same setup existed in the Spanish Civil War, with Franco’s Republicans backed by the west and the Nationalists backed by Germany and Italy.
This nation is in fiscally worse shape than Detroit. Anyone who wants a war should man up, organize, and go fight on their own dime.
Okay, why do the Israelis want the Muslim Brotherhood in charge of Syria?
I'm not sure they do. I think they want both sides to lose.
But what about my comment? That testing weapons in a civil war is a practice that has historically been done before? I wasn't talking about the Israelis on this one way or the other.
Frankly I think Bibi is looking for an excuse to go postal on the Magic Mullahs, and I wish him all the best...
If Israel takes ‘em out I will be the whole trumpet section.
They think that Assad will help Iran nuke them, and are more willing to take their chances with the Jihadists.
If Israel raises the issue, it quite worthy of considering.
They don’t idly make claims.
I think it has a rationale to it. Wouldn’t really surprise me.
Iran has been sticking it’s head under the tent in a number of other nations. This is more of the same, only it raises the bar considerably.
The names of the factions were reversed. It was Franco’s Nationalists vs. the supporters of the Spanish Republic. Franco’s side included two monarchist factions.
“Officials said Assad was no longer in control over much of his country as well as key military units.”
Let me get this right Bibi.
Whatever else Assad is, and in spite of antics of Hezbollah, Assad has in fact NOT allowed the Golan to be a flashpoint between Syria and Israel, correct?
And what is it you, Bibi, expect when the Syrian MB - the dominant political aparatus at the core of the Syrian “opposition” - is at the seat of power in Syria??
Do I believe Bibi, when he says Iran is more in control of Assad’s military than is Assad? NO. The network of Syrian allegiances that go to make up Assad’s leadership, in every sphere, is more solid and more in charge than anyone or anything from Iran.
I think you, Bibi, are making a big mistake as to whom Israel’s biggest long term enemies in Syria might be, and I believe none of the WORST internal groups against Israel are now in charge but could be if Assad falls.
Here’s the question...who do you trust more to tell the truth, the Obama administration, or the Israeli administration?
You can only pick one, wouldn’t want it to be easy.
Sorry about that. But the point remains--it was a testing ground for weaponry, and the two sides in the ensuing WW II lined up about the same way as they did in the Spanish Civil War.
I am vague on details, but I recall a year or two ago the bamster signed some sort of treaty that basically said the US wouldn’t attack countries that use “non conventional” weapons in a first strike, which was controversial at the time since NK was acting up, but quickly forgotten in the news stream. Can anyone shed some light on that? Am I mistaken?
I’ll join in on either tuba or euphonium.
Well everyone seems to think Bibi is some type of soldier hero, let’s see him pull up his pants and send some of those sweet US paid for weapons against the Iranians...should be a good way to test the Soviet Bloc weaponry....what say you Bibi and all you Israeli first-ers?
And the Spanish Republic was basically the Anarchists and the Reds, which latter were backed by Moscow. Until the Reds had an internal coup for power and killed off the Anarchists. George Orwell was lucky to have survived that operation and get out of the country and back to England. His Homage to Catalonia is very interesting reading about the era. And fairly short. Recommended.
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