[MossadConspiracy]

I dont know if any of you people heard about it or posted on it, but Israeli warplanes bombed some military site in Syria a few days ago and Syria lodged a diplomatic complaint along with raising their military alert level. Tensions and risk for a war are higher because of it

ws

Murky raid heats up Syria-Israel tension

By SAM F. GHATTAS, Associated Press WriterThu Sep 13, 3:18 PM ET

Syria and Israel last turned their guns on each other in all-out war a quarter century ago, but tensions are sky high after a mysterious Israeli airstrike deep into Syrian territory last week.

America says the target was Iranian missiles, while others have raised questions of possible North Korean links. Israel, however, hasn't even acknowledged anything happened, and Syria has said very little beyond announcing the incursion and complaining to the United Nations.

Still, neither side appears eager for an escalation. Israel put its troops on high alert along the Golan Heights frontier and Syria discreetly called up some air defense reservists, but the crisis has seemed more a war of nerves than preparation for hostilities.

"The picture is still foggy," said Christopher Pang, head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

Most information has come from outside: A U.S. official confirmed this week that Israeli warplanes had staged a strike. The official, who would not speak publicly, said the target was Iranian-made weapons stored in northeastern Syria and destined for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

The Washington Post reported Thursday, however, that Israel had gathered satellite imagery showing possible North Korean cooperation with Syria on a nuclear facility. It cited an unidentified former Israeli official as saying the airstrike was aimed at a site capable of making unconventional weapons.

Syrian's U.N. envoy denied the country had weapons for Hezbollah. And its information minister, Mohsen Bilal, told the Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat on Thursday that the accusations of North Korean nuclear help were a "new American spin to cover up" for Israel.

Other theories abound.

One possibility is the Israeli planes simply made an intelligence-gathering reconnaissance flight, said David Hartwell, Middle East and North Africa editor for Jane's Country Risk.

Others speculate Israel's military was testing Syrian air defenses or perhaps scouting an air corridor for a possible strike against Iran.

Either way, the incursion probably served at least one main purpose — as a warning, experts said.

"In terms of deterrence, the effect was clear, by invading Syrian airspace, by showing that Israel is not only able, but willing, to still launch strikes against Syrian targets," Pang said.

North Korea piqued interest when it condemned the Israeli air incursion.

The communist state has a long alliance with Syria, and Israeli experts say North Korea and Iran both have been major suppliers of missiles to Syria. But many experts, including Hartwell, said they found the idea of North Korean nuclear help to Syria unlikely, in part because Syria's weak economy leaves it hard-pressed to afford nuclear technology.

Israel's silence has been among the most curious things about the incident.

In the past, Israel often was swift to announce such operations, while Syria was slow to comment. This time, Israel has said nothing and Syria was the one to announce that its air space had been entered and that Israeli aircraft had "dropped munitions."

Despite that, Syria didn't ask the U.N. Security Council to meet over the incident or to condemn the act. It merely asked for its complaint to be circulated.

The location and timing of the strike also are puzzling.

Some experts think it unlikely that Syria would put sensitive projects in its northeast near the border with Turkey, which is friendly with Israel as well as with Syria. Syria's main strategic military installations are believed to be in its central desert.

Others note Syria has long been thought to be a transit point for moving weapons to Hezbollah, with which Israel fought an inclusive war last year, and question why Israel would strike now.

"My assessment is that there is a very complex security picture that I think is potentially driving these events," said Pang, but he added: "If I had to pin down to the most likely ... to me the Hezbollah-Iranian connection seems the most plausible."

Syria and Israel fought each other during both the 1967 and 1973 Mideast wars. Their last military confrontation was in neighboring Lebanon in 1982, when Israel's air force shot down dozens of Syrian warplanes and Israeli forces destroyed Syrian tanks.

That history of conflict keeps the region jittery about the possibility of a new war, and Syria's deputy foreign minister, Faysal Mekdad, made clear Thursday that the latest faceoff has the potential for a new blowup.

"Syria will respond to any Israeli acts, now and in the future," he said.

[Jamroll]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

I dont know if any of you people heard about it or posted on it, but Israeli warplanes bombed some military site in Syria a few days ago and Syria lodged a diplomatic complaint along with raising their military alert level. Tensions and risk for a war are higher because of it

ws

I haven't been following the news that closely last few days, but I still manage to catch a news bulletin or two, and as far as I know nothing has been reported on this at all. Just goes to show... real selective reporting, and on such a major development aswell.

[MossadConspiracy]

obviously it has been reported otherwise i wouldnt have heard about it, but its been a low profile story, probably because most of the details are still hidden.

Its big in the Arab and Israeli press though

ws

[Jamroll]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

obviously it has been reported otherwise i wouldnt have heard about it, but its been a low profile story, probably because most of the details are still hidden.

Its big in the Arab and Israeli press though

ws

Yeah, I was actually talking about the news bulletins on the TV news, which is where most people get their news from. You'd think they'd want to mention something like that, unless...

[MossadConspiracy]

It was on CNN (thats where i first heard about it), but the report about it was pretty biased in my opinion.

News stories really cant be hidden, they just get spun depending on what the audience wants and what the editorial position of the network is

ws

[Jamroll]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

It was on CNN, but the report about it was pretty biased in my opinion.

News stories really cant be hidden, they just get spun depending on what the audience wants and what the editorial position of the network is

ws

Well, news bulletins by their nature have to be very selective, but I do think sometimes certain news stories are buried or held back to serve particular interested parties. I think a story like this should be on the 10 o'clock news - it's essentially Israeli aggression, unliateral declarations of war, and that should be shown in my view.

[MossadConspiracy]

yeah but theres always the bottom line issues. news is a business in America, and in most places, and most Americans really dont give a crap about 5 israeli planes allegedly dropping munitions over a Syrian target. If you rank the stories based on what is most likely to attract viewers (which is how its usually done), this story would not get prominently shown

I remember at the height of the war between israel and lebanon last year, hizbullah rocket volleys and israeli airstrikes and military penetration into lebanon was being reported after stories about increasing gas prices and about stuff happening to American celebrities and President Bush. Thats just the nature of American TV news.

[Jamroll]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

yeah but theres always the bottom line issues. news is a business in America, and in most places, and most Americans really dont give a crap about 5 israeli planes allegedly dropping munitions over a Syrian target. If you rank the stories based on what is most likely to attract viewers (which is how its usually done), this story would not get prominently shown

I remember at the height of the war between israel and lebanon last year, hizbullah rocket volleys and israeli airstrikes and military penetration into lebanon was being reported after stories about increasing gas prices and about stuff happening to American celebrities and President Bush. Thats just the nature of American TV news.

Yeah it's a similar thing over here aswell. They feel they've got to make the news sensational and interesting otherwise people will get bored and switch over to Grey's Anatomy or Jerry Springer or whatever.

[slime]

a few days ago? whoaaa did not hear about this...glad i have islamica

was it CNN international?

News blackout over Syria flight



wow this got buried.

[Kaminyu]

Originally Posted by MossadConspiracy

I dont know if any of you people heard about it or posted on it, but Israeli warplanes bombed some military site in Syria a few days ago and Syria lodged a diplomatic complaint along with raising their military alert level. Tensions and risk for a war are higher because of it

I've heard of it, and the lack of military response on the part of Syria, demonstrates quite clearly, which side really wants a war, and which side does not. Israel's been trying to goad them into one for quite sometime now, but Syria seems to be onto their little game, and isn't taking the bait.

[Revert]

It was in the New York Post yesterday...