Posted on 07/17/2006 10:49:45 PM PDT by BurbankKarl
Israeli girls write messages on a shell at a heavy artillery position near Kiryat Shmona, in northern Israel, next to the Lebanese border, Monday, July 17, 2006
Did you see the Tony Snow Live Thread? It sounded like Hezbollah Helen was beaten to a pulp by Tony.
Interesting that the President's popularity has been improving ever since he brought in Tony. The White House has been doing a much better job with communications in general lately.
what could happen with the "nuclear umbrella" . . .
http://www.meforum.org/article/510
Poisoned Missiles: Syria's Doomsday Deterrent
by Dany Shoham (snipped)
. . . What follows is a controlled speculation as to how Syria might actually use its CBW, in a scenario of sharply heightened conflict in the Middle East, and particularly against Israel.
• First strike. A first strike, launched at a country as small and densely inhabited as Israel, could be crippling. The implementation of chemical weapons against Israel, especially in a first strike, would be designed to impair Israel's fundamental military superiority by striking its retaliatory capabilities, especially airfields and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) command and control installations. Other likely targets would be mobilization centers, equipment warehouses, and transportation intersections. In the early stages of the war, the mission would be to prevent the arrival of reserve forces at the northern front and exert pressure on Israeli forces at the front. Were Syrians to cross the chemical Rubicon, they might also strike at population centers and industrial areas.
According to satellite imagery, the operational alignment of Syria's Scud-C missiles is such that Syria is positioned to launch a surprise chemical attack. The missiles in those photographs were aimed at the nuclear reactor in Dimona and at Israel's airports and large cities.[26] For Syria, a first strike is a first-rate strategic option—depending on its objectives and provided Syria is prepared to absorb the counterblow.[27] Syrian ballistic missiles armed with chemical warheads could neutralize a substantial number of Israel's military installations and tie up its major population and industrial centers around Tel Aviv and Haifa. The effect would be even greater if the missiles were implemented in a first strike, and even more so in a surprise attack.[28]
• Golan grab. A more limited version of this scenario postulates a Syrian attack limited to northern Israel in an attempt to conquer the Golan Heights. Syria would deploy long-range launch systems and long-lasting chemical warfare agents in order to neutralize military targets (air force bases, command and control centers, radar stations, reserve mobilization and assembly areas, and equipment warehouses). Short-range launch systems would implement volatile chemical warfare agents at the front in order to ease the rapid penetration of Syrian ground forces. The idea would be to enable Syria to achieve its goal of seizing the Golan Heights before the IDF could complete the mobilization of its reserves, presenting the international community with a fait accompli.
• On the brink of defeat. Were Syria on the verge of conventional defeat, it might also resort to chemical weapons in order to avoid disaster. This option was non-existent in the previous wars between Arab states and Israel. The Syrians would justify the use of chemical weapons by claiming that their very survival was at stake. If Syria were on the brink of military defeat, any use of chemical weapons would almost certainly be aimed at the source of the immediate danger: Israeli forces, other targets at the front, and air force bases. Civilian centers would be a lower priority. But also in these circumstances, a chemical attack on civilian targets cannot be ruled out, especially if it promised to accelerate superpower intervention for a ceasefire.
• Restoring deterrence. Syria's chemical weapons are meant to deter strikes against strategic targets deep in Syrian territory, especially highly sensitive targets like government installations, dams, and civilian infrastructure. Were the Syrians to conclude this deterrent were failing, they could use chemical weapons in order to restore it. An example of this scenario was given in Kuwait's Al-Qabas newspaper in a report from its Damascus bureau. There it is suggested that Syria would fire chemical-tipped missiles were Israel to make even limited bombing attacks against Damascus.[29]
. . . Could Syria one day find itself under an Iranian nuclear umbrella? If it did—and the road to that point may not be so long—Syria's threshold for first use of CBW could be lowered. For example, in a grab for the Golan, Syria might contemplate a limited chemical exchange with Israel, on the assumption that Israel would not retaliate with a nuclear escalation. Given the futility of all past Syrian attempts to gain military superiority over Israel by means of conventional forces, the CBW option might grow legitimate in Syrian eyes. And if a nuclear Iran gave assurances to Syria, it might diminish Syrian fears and inhibitions in choosing its weapons. . .
Exactly.
Knock on wood, I think that people are seeing possible success in Iraq. I don't know the extent of the success, but it is viable now. I think that has helped improve ratings also. IMHO
Bump!
And that damb ass keeps coming back day-after-day. Tony has been down right nasty to her and she can't/won't take the hint. Tony has been a godsend for the admin.
CNNi showing photo from family from Dana Point CA with signs asking to be rescued, blah blah blah.
I guess they just missed the hour briefing.
BWAHAHAAA! Oh, thanks for that tidbit, I hadn't read about that part.
Spot on, Tony. Unfortunately, it probably went over Helen's and many other media heads.
Very interesting and a great analysis, as usual. But actually, I think this situation would have arisen even without Israel.
The ME is like a giant pile of stones that is eventually going to come tumbling down at some point or another, although for awhile, you can get by if you just stick in another stone here and there or shore it up in some other way.
Islam is not a sustaining basis for a functioning society. Once upon a time, conflicts could be a little more local; but now there is no way of distancing ourselves from Islamic insanity. The same goes for Islamic countries, because they are equally are forced to come into contact with us. But instead of making them want to create a more functional society, the contact enrages them and makes them want to destroy the thing they cannot have.
By a terrible fluke, their countries are located in a place with a resource that gives them money without their having to do much more than just sit there. Even though they are dysfunctional, their resulting capacity to buy technology developed by the West and by its Asian imitators - and the only technology they really want is destructive technology - now means that when that pile of stones collapses, it will bury us all. Our only solution, IMHO, is to take it apart before it collapses.
Once upon a time, my dad knew a mail carrier. There was a dog on this man's route, who wasn't happy unless he got his daily dose of pepper spray. This is a lot like that...
Visions of Katrina "refugees" dancing in my head.
lol
Wonder if LooterGuy's going to be on one of the ships?
A truly excellent point.
We have been stuck in Beirut for seven days now. We need the American Embassy to get organized and get us out. We are among the lucky Americans. We are in a safe place. Mentally our nerves are wearing thin. Constant bombing. The noise is driving us mad! No word from the Embassy. Only get outside info on what's happening via our family who call us from America. It hurts me to see all the other countries leaving. Please get us out, we want to go home!
The Esseily Family, Dana Point, California
this is the email from cnn.com....they havent posted the pic...
We saw part of it--had to go pick up the Born Free. But did see him sqash Helen--again. Every time she opens her mouth she puts her rear in it and shows she has not even 1/10th of the intelligence of Tony. His mind is too quick for the drive-by media--he's always a few steps ahead. Still can't believe GWB brought him on!
Go Tony!!!!
I am SICK and TIRED of Fox News showing Israeli gun camera footage of Katusha rocket launchers that doesn't end in a frigging FIREBALL!
They cut away before the dang bombs hit. I wanna see them blowing up.
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