Don’t Get Too Excited about the President’s Warning to Iran and Syria

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ZjU4MzcyZDQ5YWJhZjYzMWYwMDdiZmQwM2UwYzUwZDM= ^ | Andrew McCarthy

[ventanax5]

Supporters of the war on terror — the global war against jihadists as distinguished from its isolated battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan — were surely heartened last night by President Bush’s monitory words for Iran and Syria. The president declared with apparent boldness: Succeeding in Iraq also requires defending its territorial integrity and stabilizing the region in the face of extremist challenges. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria. These two regimes are allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We’ll interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.

Sounds great. But there is less there than meets the ear — maybe much less.

At a background briefing before the president’s speech, administration officials, quite appropriately, refused to get into what the new strategy for dealing with Iran and Syria precisely entails. But it was fairly clear that military steps outside Iraq are highly unlikely.

An official pointedly explained that, while the violence in Iraq is being “fiercely stoked” by Iran and Syria, the mayhem would not end even if the Iranian and Syrian influence were to disappear

[SJSAMPLE]

Then why am I hearing that US troops have seized the Iranian consulate in Baghdad?

[CMAC51]

Hello Syria and Iran,

I know our president warned you, but don't worry. He doen't mean it. Go ahead and continue what you are doing. No problem, we'll keep things stirred up over here, so you don't have to worry.

Oh and...

I support the troops.

[Bigh4u2]

Because Mr. McCarthy doesn't have the 'inside scoop' and is just speculating as to what will be done.

Time will tell what the 'real' plan is.

[Pox]

Screw the nuance, screw the pansies in the EU who selfishly continue to refuse to help, and screw the pointless UN.

Drop the hammer on Iran and Syria. Whether or not it actually helps reduce the violence in Iraq is secondary to removing the primary destabilizing influences in the ME, IMO.

[SJSAMPLE]

My mistake.
It appears to be some sort of operations center in the northern town of Irbil.

But I can hope.

[nuconvert]

I guess Andrew McCarthy is wiping the egg off his face this morning.....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765805/posts

[CWOJackson]

"Then why am I hearing that US troops have seized the Iranian consulate in Baghdad?"

Apparently our troops don't listen to the nay sayers....like their Commander in Chief.

[mosquewatch.com]

Arabs do not fear threats, they do fear warnings backed up with an immediate and overwhelming response.

[The Lumster]

Then why am I hearing that US troops have seized the Iranian consulate in Baghdad?

It may only be a symbolic gesture.

From the article > In any event, most telling was one administration official’s sense that our forces in Iraq had “sure sent a signal to the Iranians” by detaining the Iranian military officials who were captured in raids in mid-December. Yet, even as the president was preparing his new strategy, even as he was readying the words of warning he uttered so forcefully last night, those Iranians were released by the Maliki government and sent back to Iran after about a week in custody. What signal can this have sent? This one: If you’re an Iranian in Iraq helping to kill American troops, the comeuppance is that we’ll hold you for a few days and then send you back home.

[wildbill]

I don't think they seized the consulate. They raided the consulate and seized five employees who apparently were bad guys.

After Iran's seizure of the American Embassy during the Carter administration and holding our diplomats hostage, they are hardly in a position to complain.

Still, this is a serious breach of normal protocol and a clear shot over the bow to Iran. I like it.

[Brooklyn Kid]

"It appears to be some sort of operations center in the northern town of Irbil"

An operations center acting as a consulate

[Valin]

US forces storm Iranian consulate (Kurdish region)
BBC ^ | January 11. 2007

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765805/posts
Posted on 01/11/2007 6:33:56 AM CST by nuconvert
US forces storm Iranian consulate
(snip)

[Cold Heat]

Still, this is a serious breach of normal protocol and a clear shot over the bow to Iran. I like it.

These activities are designed to keep the pressure on Iran, and cause them to continue to make political errors in judgment at a time when they are having difficulty with their increasingly angry public.

All in a days work! But I don't see it as new or some sort of major policy change. I see it as a adjustment to realities on the ground and the recent U.N. sanction decision that leaves each country with a lot of latitude on how they enforce it....Unfortunately.

We are leading the way as usual.

[Wraith]

What? Kind of hard to be a state who sponsors terrorism when the buildings are still showing signs of smoke and the Governments of Iran and Syria have ceased to be.

Israel will steamroll their way into Lebanon and get rid of Hezbolla once and for all and shut down the boarder with Syria while the US and Allies steamroll from the opposite direction. Israel will take out Iran's nuclear capabilities and again the US, Allies and the 5000 anti Iranian Islamic fundamentalists will steamroll into Iran setting off a revolt.

Now thats taking the bull by the horns and dealing with these two dark cancerous spots on the planet that have caused so much misery in the western world and in their own countries.

They got it coming....

[ventanax5]

Andrew McCarthy in my opinion is one of the brightest and best political writer out there.

[jveritas]

Another conservative elite living in DC hearing the water cooler rumors and using them to write an article claiming that he knows exactly what is in President Bush mind and telling us not to believe what the President is saying.

[Psalm 73]

I lost much respect for Andrew McCarthy when he defended Fitzgerald while Fitzy was torturing Scooter Libby.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Posted this from the BBC:

US to target anti-Iraq activity

Features Condi Rice and details on the Irbil raid.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I'd like to see Iraq's army attack Iran in response to Iran's military support for insurgents in Iraq. Iraq could run a few bombing missions first, to prove they mean business.