Posted on 10/04/2005 7:34:06 PM PDT by blam
US 'aiming at Syria regime change'
By Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor
(Filed: 05/10/2005)
Israel predicted yesterday that America would impose fresh sanctions on Syria in an attempt to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
Shaul Mofaz, the defence minister, said he believed sanctions would follow publication of a United Nations report expected to implicate senior Syrian officials in the murder of Rafik al-Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.
President Assad could face US military action
"I won't be surprised if Syria gets a red card," Mr Mofaz told Israel radio. "[The United States] will take actions against Syria, beginning with economic sanctions and moving on to others, that will make it clear to the Syrians that their policies do not comply with UN decisions, the US's new world order or the prohibition of sovereign states to support terrorism."
On Saturday, President George W Bush and his national security council are to discuss America's options on Syria, ranging from tightening existing limited sanctions to military action.
Washington regards Syria as a transit point for fighters travelling to Iraq and a safe haven for Iraqi Ba'athists to organise and finance the insurgency. With US troops mounting repeated campaigns against insurgents in Iraqi towns along the Syrian frontier, some senior US officers advocate cross-border "hot pursuit" operations. Others call for assassinations of insurgent masterminds in Syria.
Any action will have to await the outcome of the UN investigation into Mr Hariri's murder in February.
Amid a wave of anti-Syrian anger and pressure from America and France, Mr Assad was forced to withdraw his troops from Lebanon after a presence of 29 years. He reluctantly agreed to allow the UN investigator Detlev Mehlis to question Syrian officials.
Mr Mehlis, a German prosecutor, is due to report by Oct 21. According to leaks, he will name Syrian officials, although it is unclear how far he will point the finger of blame at President Assad.
America has taken soundings from regional governments on possible successors to Mr Assad.
You'll like this article.
Sounds like intimidation to me. I doubt that Bush is going to use the military against Syria.
Attention Mr. Hariri, you will be murdered in February!
"With US troops mounting repeated campaigns against insurgents in Iraqi towns along the Syrian frontier, some senior US officers advocate cross-border "hot pursuit" operations. Others call for assassinations of insurgent masterminds in Syria."
Needed now. Anything within 50 kilometers of border should be in play.
I doubt that we will have another "hearts & minds" campaign like we did in Afghanistan and Iraq, but we still have plenty of Shock and Awe.
Syria has done nothing but harm in the world in the last 30 years (ask just about any Lebanese.)
It is TIME they paid a price and sanctions are a good start in my book.
Assad is toast.
"the US's new world order". These goons aways have to figure on something to throw in that paints America in a negative light. I suppose the Telegraph would actually prefere for increased terrorism, until the day their HQ building gets bombed by some goons. At any rate. Syria presents a little problem. If Asad gets the boot who pray tell can take over. The place is a hall of mirrors. Who and what really runs the place? And surely this has prevented the US from more firm measures in the way of military operations for some time. What the American/EU can do is continue starve them out. Make it hard for the Russians from wanting to do business with them if possible. And wait for a new Iraq builds itself up in esteem, military ability, and joins the western world.
Then watch as the Iranians, Saudis, Syrians, Yemens, etc., just salivate as how well Iraq will do. Let those Persians and Arabs surronding Iraq see things improve for millions of Iraqis not just those in favor. That surely is part of the GWB doctrine for the ME. We have time. The insurgency is being demoralized as well as taken out. The Iraqi's one way or another are going to get a constitution and fully Iraqi federally elected government, and a continued improving military and infrastructure. The Syrian citizentry and some political parties are watching quite closely as how the Iraq experiment shall turn out. If GWB's vision comes to fruitation, the ME is going to change. The leaders simply no longer will be able to hold down the cry for true democratic change and the uplifting of the Islamic yoke from their socities. So just busting up Syria with military strikes is not the only way to have the country changed into something better in the future. That is MHO on the matter.
I submit that it's time to acknowledge cross-border excursions.
How about 50 nautical miles?
Basically said there had been enough talk....
Give Iraq more harbors and free the Caspian Sea....sounds like a good plan!
ROFL... "Rummy Locks", "Cheney Locks", "W Canal"... hahaha
I agree.
Go in "hot pursuit."
W - you aint LBJ. Don't make the same mistake.
Do you wanna win, or what?
Wack'em.
Any action will have to await the outcome of the UN investigation into Mr Hariri's murder in February
If Syria goes democratic, it would deal another severe blow to the Islamo-fascists and isolate Iran further. I see no large military action i.e. invasion on our part, but we can't rule out selected strikes against terrorist strongholds. I think Assad should do some deep thinking about his country's role in supporting the terrorists. There are worse things than allowing democratic reforms.
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