A warning Syria's President Assad must heed -- US Special Forces cross into Syria

The Times (UK) ^ | October 27, 2008 | James Hider: Analysis

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The US airborne raid into Syrian territory marks the culmination of years of frustration with Damascus’s reluctance to police its own border with Iraq, the main point of entry for foreign jihadists.

Since the 2003 invasion, Syria, fearing that it could be the next target for regime change, has allowed Islamic militants to cross its desert borders freely. Significantly, the village of al-Sukkari farm, which US forces raided, is just over the border from the Iraqi city of al-Qaim, which, since 2003, has been a key funnelling point for jihadists entering Iraq on the so-called rat run to the Sunni cities of Ramadi, Fallujah and, finally, Baghdad.

But a raid into sovereign territory would have needed high-level US clearance and may have been intended as a warning to Syria at a time when America and Israel are trying to turn the regime of President Assad away from Iran and into peace talks.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More....fyi

[martin_fierro]

But a raid into sovereign territory would have needed high-level US clearance and may have been intended as a warning to Syria at a time when America and Israel are trying to turn the regime of President Assad away from Iran and into peace talks.

Carrot, meet Stick.

[ncfool]

Let’s take the entire country and it can be our 51st State. Then we can send Barack Hussein to go campaign there this week.

[Hugin]

Will Nancy Pelosi visit her friend Bashir again to assure him the Democrats stand with him against the Republican warmongers?

[Hugin]

Wouldn’t that be the 58th state?

[ncfool]

Net yet as you need to add others. Saudi Arabia,Qatar, Jordan,Bahrain,UAE.

We will just destroy Lebanon as its a festering sore as is Iran, Libya,Somalia etc etc.

[KriegerGeist]

I guess if this was “high-level” that Bash-her-Ass-wadd better take a hint to keep his Baathist-Sunis at home or go the way of his pal Saddam. Bush has nothing to lose now, so popularity and approval ratings be dipped. “Get all you can, can all you get, then sit on the lid and hose all the rest”

[Tzimisce]

So is this what Biden was talking about when he said “tested”?

[nuconvert]

The father & 4 sons reported killed were all supposedly involved in the terrorist activities

[fantom]

Expect the usual weeping for the enemy. This is long overdue . (i know , a ridiculous understatement). Better late then ever. Iran just witnessed the first shoe dropping. Iran will soon have a new leader. Looks like some mop up work before the election.

[G8 Diplomat]

Bashar al-Asshole is in trouble, both internally and externally. Inside Syria, I’m guessing the Sunni majority doesn’t like him since he’s a Shi’ite, and even some in his own government are having second thoughts, and have been accused in planning coups and assassinated for not playing by the rules.

Outside, he’s now facing crunch time from the US and Israel to either ditch Iran or face more of these raids and bombings. Assad wants neither option, so he’s screwed. Which is good for us.

[popdonnelly]

“Let’s take the entire country and it can be our 51st State.”

Let’s take it and give it to Obama to govern. He’d be a perfect fit there. He doesn’t fit here.

[Bean Counter]

NBC News is confirming that US Special Forces indeed raided across the border into Syria in pursuit of Al Quaeda, and killed several...

But I think the best message we can send the Lesser Assad would be a new anus drilled in the middle of his forehead by some young sharp shootin’ Corporal, who would be happy to do his Duty and deliver such a message on behalf of his fellow Countrymen...

[aculeus]

But a raid into sovereign territory would have needed high-level US clearance ...

W just realized he has nothing left to lose?

[17th Miss Regt]

The father & 4 sons reported killed were all supposedly involved in the terrorist activities

Correction:

The father & his 4 young sons reported killed were all involved in a chemistry lesson. (You need to understand some chemistry to be an effective farmer, you know, to understand soil pH and that sort of stuff. Sometimes you also have to remove stumps with small explosive charges.)

[max americana]

> The father & 4 sons reported killed were all supposedly involved in the terrorist activities

So 72 virgins times 5?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There are stumps in the desert there...how unusual

[freedom4me]

While I’m sure the administration wants to stop the flow of terrorists into Iraq, I think GWB also wants to retrieve the WMDs that were sent to Syria before the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Should BO be elected on 11/4, the pre-war intelligence pointing to the movement of WMD from Iraq to Syria will be lost forever.

You’ll also note the uptick in activities along the Afghan-Pakistan border. While the hunt for Bin Laden has never let up since 9/11, it is now in overdrive, big time.

Then, as he leaves DC on January 20, Bush can have a banner attached to the tail of Marine One that reads: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

[Billthedrill]

Oh, I think it was more than a warning. "If you want to send a message, call Western Union" in the immortal words of Samuel Goldwyn. We wouldn't have done it if there wasn't something worthwhile in it. A warning we could have issued with a smart bomb dropped from over the Iraqi border, not with helicopters and SF operators.

Hope we got whoever or whatever it was.