Fox News reports unusual activity on Syrian-Israel border

Fox News | 08/14/06 | Cammie

[cammie]

Just saw on Fox that the IDF is monitoring unusual activity on Syrian border in the Golan Heights...tanks there, they are removing land mines at the border...not up on their website yet

[Fishtalk]

Not watching Fox. Can you tell me why removing land mines is allegedly not a good thing?

[AmericaUnited]

Sounds like Syrians are massing tanks, and removing their own land mines. The first step in an armored assault is to remove your own anti-tank defenses, to clear the way for your advancing armor. If this report is true, it is not good.

NOT GOOD?! This is the absolute best news (if true) in a long time! All of Syrian's tanks would be smoking hulks, cutesy of IDF air force, within hours. How is that not fantastic news?

[dijpak]

Yeah heh I hate it when journalists exaggerate. I find myself watching the news sometimes saying "No they didn't. No there's not. No we won't." just because it gets ridiculous.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

"More importantly, Israel can now cross the border into Syria."

IDF will be very cautious about that until they are absolutely certain the mines are actually cleared........

[Doctor Raoul]

If Gopher goes for the Golan, he's not going to live long enough to ask Captain Stubbing for his old job back on the Love Boat.

[demlosers]

From Global Security.org :

In 2002, the Syrian army has roughly 215,000 soldiers. The general readiness and effectiveness of the Syrian Army is fairly low despite the generally good readiness of its special forces, roughly two armored divisions, one mechanized division and the Republican Guard division. Syria has a significant quantity of armor numbering some 4,700 tanks, though 1,200 are placed in static defensive positions and another 2,000 are T-55s and T-62s. Syria does however have some 1,700 T-72/72Ms.

--End Snip --

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/syria/army.htm

[dijpak]

True. Would you trust your life to a Hezzy minesweeper doing his job right>

[redgolum]

Any more info?

Been hearing rumblings for weeks. It is about 22:00 hours there right?

[RightWhale]

Israel is very conscious of Syria's tanks. Syria nearly broke through the Golan Heights at one point and might have made it halfway to Tel Aviv if they weren't stopped. A close thing.

[American in Israel]

We could see Isaiah 17 come to pass in this conflict yet.

"In the evening there is trouble, by morning it is over...Damascus is a ruinious heap, men will never live there again..."

[dijpak]

Syria was probably better organized, but that's just a guess. Israel has surely planned against that happening again too.

[American in Israel]

Wow, Fox have been talking about this for 4 days and even Debka hasn't picked it up yet? ;-)

Debka is more accurate than Fox...

[RightWhale]

Yep. All gone by morning.

[diverteach]

"Anyone taking bets on which side breaks the cease-fire first?"

That depends on who you believe. Hezbollah will fire first(actually won't stop) and Israel will have defensive fire, but Hezbollah will say Israeli's fired first, the same way the MSM will spin it.

How many times has this been repeated? Way too many to count.

[RightWhale]

For one thing, Israel has held the Golan Heights. It's a huge advantage to be already there.

[American in Israel]

Removing mines on your side of the border is the way to open the gates to invade the other guy. If you are intending to stay put, you would leave the mines for protection. By taking them out, you lower your defenses a bit to enable you to invade the other guy at a moments notice.

This is a clear sign that Syria intends to invade Israel, or is threatining to do so.

[redgolum]

If the other side is removing their own mines, it is often a prelude to a massive assault. You really don't want your own anti tank defenses killing your own tanks.

Big question is, if this is true, what will Israel do?

[mainepatsfan]

Fox just repeated the story. Jennifer Griffith now reporting it.

[silentknight]

News is saying that Syria is moving tanks to the border at this time.

[Mother Abigail]

For those among you who feel that this peace will be swiftly broken, there is something very disturbing in the imagery of Isaiah 33, where God rises up to defend Israel, in response to a failed peace plan.

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"Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly. The highways are deserted, no travelers are on the roads. The treaty is broken, its witnesses are despised, no one is respected." (Isaiah 33:7-8 NIV)

"Now will I arise," says the LORD. "Now will I be exalted; now will I be lifted up." (Isaiah 33:10 NIV)

"You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; your breath is a fire that consumes you. The peoples will be burned as if to lime; like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze." (Isaiah 33:11-12 NIV)

"You who are far away, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my power!" (Isaiah 33:13 NIV)

---

MA