U.S. concentrating forces near Syrian border

World Tribune ^ | Wednesday, April 16, 2003 | unknown

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

U.S. concentrating forces near Syrian border <!****************************Cut and Paste Headline Above*****************>

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMWednesday, April 16, 2003

<!********************Cut and Paste Article Below********************>The United States has bolstered its military presence near the Iraqi- Syrian border.

U.S. officials said Central Command has ordered a buildup of assets in western Iraq. They said the buildup is centered at Al Rutba and includes M1A1 main battle tanks, AH-64A attack helicopters and A-10 ground-support fighter-jets.

The U.S. move aims to prevent the escape of Iraqi leaders and nonconventional military assets to Syria. They said U.S. forces will also ensure that Arab foreign volunteers based in Syria will be captured as soon as they enter Iraq.

Officials have assured Syria that the military buildup is not meant against the regime of President Bashar Assad. But Coalition forces have already attacked Iraqi targets within 10 kilometers of the Syrian border.

Officials said Syria has been harboring hundreds of regime leaders and insurgents connected to Saddam. One of them, they said, is Farouq Hijazi, an Iraqi intelligence agent and said to have led a plot to kill the father of President George Bush, who was also president, after the 1991 Gulf war.

Officials said the U.S. deployment near the Syrian border has been enhanced by cooperation from Iraqi tribes. They said U.S. special operations units are now located along such key routes as Highway 10, Highway 11 as well as around the northwestern town of Al Qaim. On Tuesday, an Iraqi army unit located near Al Qaim and said to have contained 16,000 troops formally surrendered to U.S. forces.

"We have forces that are located in a number of places along the Syrian border with Iraq," Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, deputy operations chief at U.S. Central Command said on Tuesday. "We have vehicle checkpoints that are located along some of the key routes. In the northwest area, Al Qaim is an important area for us. We have a presence there, at that very important crossing point. We are located in other areas as well that I would not want to be too specific about at this point."

"We have concerns about Syria," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said. "We have let Syria know of our concerns. But there is no list, there is no war plan right now to go attack someone else, either for the purpose of overthrowing their leadership or for the purpose of imposing democratic values."

Earlier, Powell raised the prospect that the United States would impose sanctions on Syria for its help to the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

So far, the United States has shut down the Iraqi-Syrian oil pipeline, which produced revenues of about $1.2 billion a year for the Assad regime.

Since 2000, the pipeline had brought up to 250,000 barrels of Iraqi oil per day to Syria, which were then sold abroad.

"We have been told that they have shut off a pipeline," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. "Whether it's the only one, and whether that has completely stopped the flow of oil between Iraq and Syria, I cannot tell you. We do not have perfect knowledge. We do know that they were instructed to shut it down, and they have told us that they have."

But Rumsfeld refused to discuss details of any plans to pressure Syria to surrender Iraqi weapons of mass destruction scientists. He said such decisions would be discussed by President George Bush and Powell.

"I don't have anything else to add on that," the defense secretary said. "The president's spoken on it. Secretary Powell has spoken on it. I'll leave that to them."

In an unrelated development, the United States has begun to withdraw more than 1,000 troops from Turkey. The Turkish military General Staff said in a statement on Tuesday that 1,166 U.S. soldiers would be flown out of the Incerlik air force base in southern Turkey by Wednesday.

The U.S. soldiers were part of a support effort for coalition air attacks on neighboring Iraq. They also helped establish supply routes to northern Iraq.

The Turkish statement said U.S. military equipment and supplies will be shipped out of the Turkish port of Iskenderun between April 15-23. U.S. officials said the no-fly zone in northern Iraq has also been discontinued. They said up to 50 U.S. combat jets deployed at Turkey's Incerlik air base have been redeployed.

"We have shut down Operation Northern Watch," Rumsfeld said. "The assets that were there for that purpose have been redeployed. We have not made final decisions with respect to the footprint of the United States in that part of the world, and won't for some months."

[BOBTHENAILER]

But there is no list, there is no war plan right now to go attack someone else, either for the purpose of overthrowing their leadership or for the purpose of imposing democratic values."

Earlier, Powell raised the prospect that the United States would impose sanctions on Syria for its help to the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein

There is a vitally important distinction between these two sentences that I wish our politicians and press would get a grasp of.

One "bestows, grants, freely gives," etc., the freedoms of democracy.

"Sanctions, penalties, sentences, punishments" are IMPOSED. Big difference.

[Sabertooth]

Looks like we're solving a Syria's border problem.

[the_Watchman]

I believe there might be a message for the Syrians, possibly for Saddam, and definitely for the Iraqi people who are probably still concerned about Saddam:

Saddam will not be allowed to stage a comeback from Syria in case that he has a large military contingent in reserve with that in mind. Any military incursion from Syria to Iraq will be met with force.

[expatpat]

The WMD-free zone is just an attack on Israel, and not helpful.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

As big as the country of IRAQ is, I think we need to send another Division over there!

[sarasmom]

"We have concerns about Syria," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said. "We have let Syria know of our concerns. But there is no list, there is no war plan right now to go attack someone else, either for the purpose of overthrowing their leadership or for the purpose of imposing democratic values."

Colin Powell is telling the world the exact truth.Well, the "truth" that the world has demanded that diplomats speak.
Continguency Plans are NOT "War Plans", unless actually ordered implemented.
It may not even reach the level of a "War Plan".It could always be termed a Prolonged Surgical Strike Operation...or something.

And the reason may not actually involve "overthrowing their leadership or imposing democratic values".
It could evolve that the reason would be termed "the correct responce" to an "unnaceptable level of provocation".
You too, can learn to speak diplomatically, by taking my valuable $0.02 seminar. LOL!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Factor and the Army General were just having a heavy discussion regarding Syria on the evening program, most of which I missed. Got to see the replay,

[LS]

No way, Sam. You heard it here first. There will be NO military actions against Iraq. The Prez does not want another war before settling Iraq and Afghanistan down; we can still bring about a peaceful revolution in Iran; and we need some time to allow the victory to settle in on our "allies."

Anything that needs to happen with Syria will occur without a shot being fired.

[TLBSHOW]

You too, can learn to speak diplomatically

LOL

[The Duke]

With carriers steaming back towards home I'm not sure how menacing such a move would seem(?)

[Crusader21stCentury]

We now have a large aircraft carrier to the east of Syria.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Notice how all the murderous dictators in the world (and their friends and supporters like France, Canada, Russia, etc.) immediately turn to the U.N. to intervene in every issue.

The scum of the world certainly know the score when in comes to the U.N.

[sarasmom]

#22.
Classic!
Thank you, SIR!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

We now have a large aircraft carrier to the east of Syria.

A really BIG Carrier that can handle any aircraft in our inventory!

[Samurai_Jack]

It's a 'slick' attempt by Syria to get at Israel. They have proposed a WMD free middle-east.

VETO MAGNET

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Catch the first part of tonight's O'Reilly - Factor show where he and the military consultants talk about what is going on there at the border.

[Grampa Dave]

Knock Knock on Assad's door!

Assad, "Who's there!"

Just the American 4th ID, with some Marine friends, some airforce friends and people we can't tell you about!
So just go about your business. By the way you can't do business with the Ba-ath party from Iraq.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks!

[laz17]

The scum of the world certainly know the score when in comes to the U.N.

The U.N. is the friend of every tyrant and dictator on the planet, and "international law" is nothing but a euphemism for socialist moral equivalence.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

According to some of the military consultants on Foxnews we have Special Forces already in Syria nosing around along the border and perhaps some in Lebanon checking out things!

See the early part of the Factor show on Foxnews tonight!