Syria bluntly warns US not to attack Iraq ...

AT ^ | 11/30/01 | George Baghdadi

[nonliberal]

Syria knows that once we have taken Iraq, they are next. Merry Bombadan, boys!

[Tennessee_Bob]

Time for another Israeli raid on Osirak?

[agrace]

Wow, can you point me to sources for any of that? I remember when he first came to power, how bookish and civilized the media portrayed him. Time to go do a search...

[IronJack]

Our good friends the Arabs have been threatening to "dissolve this fragile coalition" for everything from support for Israel to overchilled champagne. Since their "support" has been of dubious or even negligible value from the outset, how would we know if they walked out? There sure as heck aren't any Syrian troops on the ground in Kandahar, and the Egyptian Air Force has been mysteriously silent. Our buds, the Saudis, have done everything but throw a party for bin Laden. Jordan has remained mercifully silent, but that's hardly a boon. Iran is straddling the middle -- much like Saudi Arabia. Iraq is next on the hit parade. Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan -- hostile or worthless already, with the exception of Pakistan which can't be trusted any farther than I can throw a camel.

We have two allies: Russia and the UK. The others are thinly disguised enemies or at best podium pilots. Don't need 'em.

Oh yes, we should include the Turks as our allies. They have shown themselves solidy pro-America, and refreshingly moderate in a corner of the world that doesn't know the meaning of the word.

[oyez]

Syria dosn't like the US. Syria dosn't respect the US either. There is little chance to get them to like us but there is a way to gain their respect.

"You may fire when ready ,Gridley."

[hinckley buzzard]

Any evidence at all that "these guys" think they can bomb "anybody they please?" (Contingency plans don't count--we have those for thermonuclear war too, but it doesn't mean we're going to start one.)

Looks like we have a choice--trust the judgment and instincts of GW and his team --or---who? Dick Gephard? Tom D'asshole? You?

Thanks for the great options. I'll stick with GW.