'Several thousand' foreign fighters slip into Iraq

Washington Times ^ | 4/30/04 | Rowan Scarborough

[katz]

bttt.

[dasboot]

If they shut the borders, the terrorists can't get to the KZ.

And I'm sure many of the gents in the pics are ghosts.

[rebel_yell2]

BINGO! Award this person a prize. Isn't it better to draw them from all over the world into Iraq and fight them there than have them infiltrate our borders and kill Americans on American soil? Oh, Ted, sorry, you WOULD prefer that.

[katz]

bttt.

love your tag line. a friend of mine has a GWB finger doll. it says a lot of f*rt things related to WMD's and Saddam.

[Finalapproach29er]

Took 10 months for them to get serious about the borders!

Total lack of foresight; should have sealed routes and chokepoints on day one. Criminal. Our idiot commanders in Iraq should be fired. Patton would never stand for such incompetence.

I've come to the grim conclusion that our PC commanders have no plan; Political or Militarily.

Bremer is leaving. It's time for Sanchez,Abiziad and company to be replaced so this gets straightened out by Election day.

[JerseyHighlander]

I can't say much, the politic/ intelligence/military/security situation in Syria and Lebanon is very complex, and underreported in Western English language media. Assad to the best of my knowledge is a dictator without firm control of his intelligence agencies, regional military police organization, and social censures. So who do we apply pressure towards, and without invasion of Syria, or the breakup of Iraq, enraging Turkey, what is the point of enticing Syrian Kurds to revolt, if in the end we'll let them hang out to dry?
Have you seen any Syrian Kurd representative even suggest the Kurdish population there wants an independent state? Without that base of support, we become the iron rice bowl for a ragtag bunch of criminals and characters in the name of revolution? The Iranian mullahs and Sadr have that angle covered.

I don't have answers, just a gut feeling that Syria needs to be kept at status quo, one hotspot in a region at a time is enough.


About the border, I belive you are correct, a sensor system network got an article, as well as stepped up Marine patrols along the border, (and possibly of an excursion into Syria while in pursuit.)

[cyborg]

If the casualties keep increasing, I think we could have a french-looking President.

[Consort]

If the borders are sealed, the "magnet" won't work very well.

[DHerion]

Fair points. But Syria is surrounded on all sides by Israel, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq. I find it hard to believe we can't apply some serious pressure to a bankrupt, third world country.

[blandbutmarvellous]

"Officials said they hope that once Iraqi sovereignty is established on June 30, the jihadists will lose interest and stop entering the country."

Oh, now that's a real plan.

[DustyMoment]

The U.S. military says "several thousand" foreign fighters are in Iraq . . .

And this is a surprise to whom?

[Joe Brower]

"Bug Zapper" ping!