What Happened in Syria?

WSJ ^ | 10/20/07 | PETER HOEKSTRA and ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

[dervish]

Over the last few weeks, State Department officials have reported major diplomatic breakthroughs that will roll back North Korea's nuclear weapons program, allow Pyongyang to be removed from the U.S. state sponsors of terror list, and normalize relations between our two countries.

North Korea reportedly has agreed to disable its nuclear facilities and has, as it has done many times before, promised to give a full accounting of its nuclear program. The latest deadline is Dec. 31, 2007. Congress has been asked to support this agreement, which State Department officials claim will benefit our nation and promote regional stability.

Then, early last month, Israel conducted an airstrike against a facility in northern Syria that press reports have linked to nuclear programs by North Korea, Iran or other rogue states. If this event proves that Syria acquired nuclear expertise or material from North Korea, Iran or other rogue states, it would constitute a grave threat to international security for which Syria and any other involved parties must be held accountable.

Bush administration, however, has thrown an unprecedented veil of secrecy around the Israeli airstrike. It has briefed only a handful of very senior members of Congress, leaving the vast majority of foreign relations and intelligence committee members in the dark. We are among the very few who were briefed, but we have been sworn to secrecy on this matter. However, we are prepared to state, based on what we have learned, that it is critical for every member of Congress to be briefed on this incident...

'snip'

Until Congress is fully briefed, it would be imprudent for the administration to move forward with agreements with state proliferators. Congress must be a full partner in this process and, from this point forward, must be kept dutifully and currently informed about this matter.

[Robert A Cook PE]

As you said below: Sounds almost almost too good, too realistic, too detailed to be true.

But why would it be spread as propaganda - how effective could it be if it were false, if it were being spread as a hand-written note in a foreign language on a hand-written highway map?

[Robert A Cook PE]

I’ll take some mail too.

‘Cuse me, gotta fix your spelling there: “I’ll take some male too.”

[txhurl]

If in six satellite months this site is trashed, we'll know.

[dervish]

thanks SC

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks.

[jeffers]

Hey, guys...it’s Dub...shhh...

Can’t sleep and the SS won’t let me download MP3s...don’t tell anyone I’m posting here, k?

Now listen, if we’re gonna do Iran...do Iran right, know what I mean?...

...the LAST thing we need is ChiaPetHead jumping in at the wrong time...nuking Japan...shelling Seoul...legions hordeing south across the border...lobbing a couple IRBMs at Seattle...divide and conquor, see?

Make ya a deal...y’all let this little NK fiasco slide...for now...and I’ll crack the whip on Kimmy when the time is right, after Tehran’s a smokin hole...k?

Uh oh...Condi’s lookin for me, gotta go...mum’s the word...

L8R

(NOTE, DO NOT ADJUST YOUR MONITOR, THE ABOVE IS ONLY A DRAMATIZATION, MEANT TO ILLUSTRATE ONE OF NUMEROUS POSSIBILITIES. IN THE EVENT YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF EVER DOES CHOOSE TO PASS STATE SECRETS TO YOU USING THIS SECURE COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL, THE SECRET CODEWORD WILL BE “ALGORE”, REPEAT, “ALGORE”. THIS TAPE WILL SELF DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS.)

[Convert from ECUSA]

More on what happened in Syria on 9/6/07 - ping!

[eleni121]

And yet on national security she’s deficient..is that too hard for you to understand? Apparently so...

[silverleaf]

So - a Congressman blabbing to the WSJ is the way to ask for other Congressmen to be better briefed by the White House?
WEAK.

[VeniVidiVici]

Exactly what harm does it do to reveal that Israeli really hit the nuclear facilities in Syria? Everybody knows Israeli hit something. We are not interested in how they hit the target and insert the personnel. All we want to know is what was exactly the target. Because it will determine if funding N. Korea aid is justified or not.

It's becase of the air defense. Things with Iran are coming to a head in the coming months. For Washington to go along with this and tip our hand as to what we can do to first-tier Russian air defense, well, it had to have been some serious ****.

It makes no sense at this time to lay it all out if it will compromise methods or future operations.

Besides, everybody knows N.Korea has no intention of following ANY agreements concerning nukes. We will continue to "talk" and isolate until China decides it is in her best interest to get Kim the hell out of there.

[decimon]

Mail call.

[xJones]

any one else need mail?

Only if they have checks in them.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Well, all they have to do is, as I said, to announce that the target was a nuclear facilities, without divulging methods. Everybody knows important target was hit, and Israeli planes flew in and out unopposed. Announcement does not have to include details of disabling their air defense system.

I am not sure China would be really up to verifiable thorough denuclearization of N. Korea. It has been American wish for nearly 7 years, but China did not change its stance even after N. Korea's nuclear test. It is more interested in managing the status quo. China still hates U.S. more than N. Korea.

The only situation when China comes down hard on N. Korea is when N. Korea doublecrosses China and throw its lot with U.S. Anyway, you do not gain much by playing footsie with China.