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From earlier this morning,...and the Captain's Quarters:
Israel Issues Ultimatum To Syria
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Perhaps sensing a leadership vacuum in Damascus based on the odd report yesterday that Bashar Assad did not participate in a Ba'ath Party leadership conference, Israel has issued an ultimatum to Syria demanding the return of its soldiers and the end to Hezbollah activity along the border. If Syria does not comply within 72 hours, an Arabic newspaper reported, Israel will launch a major attack against Syria:
The London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Saturday that “Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.”The report said “a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.”
Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that “the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria,” this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to “refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties."
Last night the Syrians declared their solidarity with Hezbollah and warned Israel that it would not allow Hezbollah to fail in the latest war. That statement of alliance has obviously prompted Israel to call their bluff, and the silence of Bashar Assad will now get more attention. It is more than passingly strange that a nation would openly ally itself with another nation or group engaged in war on another nation without that statement coming from the head of state. It is inconceivable that such a policy announcement would occur in a dictatorship without the dictator himself being involved.
The Ba'athists in Syria may have been serious, but it seems more likely that they wanted to bluff Israel and the global community with what appears to be a rather empty threat. The Syrian military could not match up against the Israelis when they controlled Lebanon, and without Saddam Hussein as a backstop, they don't have a prayer now. Unlike Hezbollah, they actually have territory to lose, and they no longer control the strategic Golan Heights.
I don't know where CQ gets that.....anyone know?
Israel has denied giving that ultimatum.
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UPDATE: Israel denies the report (h/t: Michael van der Galien at TMV):
Responding to a report in a pan-Arab daily newspaper that Israel presented Damascus with an ultimatum, an Israel Defense Forces officer said Saturday that targeting Syria is currently not on Israel's agenda."We're not a gang that shoots in every direction," the officer said. "It won't be right to bring Syria into the campaign."