“A Syrian Envoy disclosed during a UN Commitee meeting at which Israel was represented...”
A massive slip of the tongue, or a deliberate release, ordered by Assad?
Context is critical here.
If the news was released accidently, then Syria looks double stupid to the Muslim world. Couldn’t protect their own high capital resource, and admitted it publicly in a significant CF. Pressure on Syria to retaliate then increases geometrically.
If the news was released deliberately, it could be an effort to minimize fallout, i.e. speculation of losses even greater than the nuclear plant, an attempt to cut Syria’s losses.
Admitting the nuclear plant’s existence also could be a passive-aggressive move...Putin’s in Iran promising Russian support for Iran’s nuclear program, warning the west against an attack, so Syria might feel they can afford to come clean.
Finally, a deliberate admission regarding the nuclear plant also could be purely belligerent, an effort to garner support for retaliation, up to and including a declaration of war.
Exact quotes from the UN Comittee meeting would differentiate between an accidental and deliberate disclosure, and the precise wording could also indicate whether Syria’s intent was belligerent while making the disclosure.
Without the proper context offered by direct quotes, we have to assume that the full spectrum of possibilities are equally likely, at least until we get more information.
Nope.
Syria just learned that it can't defend any of its own airspace from Israel.
U.S. armor, infantry, and ships are within sight of Syria's borders, too.
Encircled by NATO, the U.S., and Israel...Syria is going to do *anything* at this point in time to avoid war. Heck, Syria's islamic neighbors like Jordan and Lebanon wouldn't even condemn Israel's Sept/6 strike!
In radar/computer technology, on September 6 Israel just revealed the Manhattan Project. It's 1945 all over again, where the Soviet Union would do anything to avoid a war with the U.S. until the CCCP finally developed its own nuclear bomb, except in this case we are talking about making radar/computers work securely or not.