1938 Alert, from YNetNews:
The Syrian government has deployed security forces to protect Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and has advised him to restrict all public activities for the time being, Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip told WorldNetDaily Tuesday.
Mashaal is believed to have called for the operation Sunday in which Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups carried out a well-orchestrated raid on an Israeli military station and kidnapped Israeli soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit.
In response, Israel has deployed thousands of ground troops at the Gaza border and has threatened a major incursion.
Diplomatic mediators involved in efforts to free the captured soldier told reporters it is Mashaal's reluctance that has been the key obstacle. They said they were told Mashaal was indeed behind the directive to carry out the abduction and that they were hopeful his position against freeing Shalit would change.
The notion of dealing with terrorists based on "hope" shows its usefulness once again.
In what has been interpreted as a threat to Mashaal, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday told reporters, "Let it be clear. We will find them all (terrorists), wherever they are, and they know it. Let it be clear that no one will be immune."
[...]
Mashaal has for years enjoyed the protection of the Syrian government. Israel accuses him of using bases in the country to order terror attacks and raise money for his terror group.
According to Israeli security sources, Syria and Iran has been pressuring Mashaal against releasing Shalit.
"Iran and Syria both want an escalation in the region to distract from the troubles surrounding their regimes," said a diplomatic source. "They want Israel to launch a ground operation. Violence helps them."
Israeli security officials told WorldNetDaily they have information the terrorists who carried out the Hamas raid and Shalit kidnapping were trained by Iranian Revolutionary Guard units and Hezbollah guerillas.
Senior Palestinian security officials linked to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party told WND Hamas and other Gaza-based groups have been receiving advanced military training by Iran and Hizbullah in recent months.
From the article: "They want Israel to launch a ground operation. Violence helps them."
--
In actuality, violence helps us all at this point. You can not make treaties with Muslim states that will not be broken. You can not negotiate with people that do not understand compromise. You can not live with people that want to usurp your land, your churches and synagogues, your schools and your government. You can not deal with people that believe they are the only true way in the world and will kill you to prove it.
Words have run out of gas long ago. It's time the world braces itself for the inevitable. Islam must be crushed.
Its the end of the world as we know it...
The Muslims are going psycho and are trying to force a war and the world is probably about to change to some degree if war truly comes. Israel is going to have to prove itself again. I don't have to much fear about this since it has shown it can whip its idiot neighbors in a fight before, but what if Iran tries a dirty bomb? Will the UN, EU or the Democratic Party even care since it was done by Iran? Iran had to be taken down NOW.
One more thing: this action by Syria 1) Proves beyond question that the Syrian government is an enemy of the United States and Israel and that it has been complicit in many schemes against the U.S., not the least of which is the spread of terrorist actions against us AND the hiding of WMD weapons from Iraq, a "rumor" I heard long ago, but now see that it is beyond question now.
2) Syria typifies the no-borders policy of Islam when they are confronting the infidel. Borders only matter to Muslims when they are squabbling with each other, but when they are faced with Israel, those borders evaporate. Do not think for a millisecond that there are not Jordanians, Iraqis, Egyptians, Saudis, Yemenis and all the others, watching this closely and just looking for the excuse to get to Paradise by joining the Jihad against the Jews and Israel. If you think the "insurgency" in Iraq has been bad, you ain't seen nothin' yet!
Right on, Foehammer, right on!
"The Syrian government has deployed security forces to protect Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and has advised him to restrict all public activities for the time being"
I don't see how the Syrian government can decide when and where Palestinian children will be dispatched to shield Hamas officials.
Just like "Whack-a-Mole" thier fearless leader will eventually "pop-up" again. So the giant Israli mallet waits...
-XRDC
This is starting to look bad.
agreed
Any predictions on what might happen?
Any predictions on what might happen?
Posted by: Awakened
The muslims have some sort of plan, maybe world wide terrorism to show "outrage" or possible use of a WMD (the ones they don't have) on Israel, and the US response will eliminate at least two more muslim regimes, I don’t care which two. I say two because, we have to prove we protect our allies, one wouldn’t send the right PC message and any more makes us look aggressive. Our “measured response” should be enough to quiet down this generation and let them lick their wounds. What would I like to see? Glad you asked, total war, outlaw islam and start the round up. We wouldn’t leave live alligators in our swimming pools why leave muslims in your town?
I found this and it seems to be a pretty good backstory of the whole Israeli/Palestinian conflict: A Brief History of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.
If history is any indication, Israel will defend itself and demolish the so-called 'Palestinians' but will stop short of annihilating them out of some false hope that there may be peaceful, harmonious, mutual respect of two sovereign nations existing side by side.
Israel must adopt a more flexible stategy, in my opinion. Right now, do nothing. Keep the troops staged, if they want to. Take out some infrastructure, if they want to. But the usual "immediate response" is far too predictable and defensible. That's why the syrians think they can build a shield around mashaal, until "this thing blows over". My guess is that the savage beasts have already done their worst with the young soldier, and possibly eaten his entrails, as they have done in the past. Just make it absolutely clear, as they have done, that there is a price to be paid, that the bill WILL be collected, and that NOBODY in that wretched pack of hyenas is off-limits. Then just wait for the right time!
At least the old myth that Syria is basically a secular Islamic society has been effectively demolished before our eyes by the details in the above article. Syria is as dangerous as all the other Islamic countries, but media coverage of the place hasn't made that fact as clear as it should have.
I saw this on World Net Daily.....
Palestinians: Chemical warfare if Israel invades Gaza
But terror sources admit current toxic arsenal 'primitive'
--WND
Israeli planes attack bridge in Gaza
Been massing troops, armor since Palestinians killed kidnaped soldier
--YNet News
Here's a link to those stories
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/
pals being guarded by syria. another peaceful cult of islam country.
Since Iraq the model didn't work, maybe they might want to re-deploy to Syria?
I can't wait to see Hugh erupt in reaction to this one.
Since Iraq the model didn't work, maybe they might want to re-deploy to Syria?"
from post above
You don't need to re-deploy troops to syria. As an earlier post stated, you simply tell the syrian leaders that you will not longer tolerate their role as instigators of violence against Americans and their allies, and that you will use your superior technology to make life unpleasant for them if they fail to cease and desist. Why should America value syrian lives more than the lives of its own soldiers?
Its the end of the world as we know it...
And I feel fine?
Is that how the song goes?
While I don't disagree with this, I wish they sent bombers to Damascus to bomb Khaled Mashal's office/home. If Syria is protecting them, as the previous article showed, take their troops out as well. Sure it would be an act of war - like the abduction of Gilad Shalit wasn't? Unless and until Syria realizes that there is a price tag on harboring Jihadists, they aren't going to stop.
While trying to rescue Shalit is unarguably the right thing to do, the bill has to be footed by Mashal, if the war on terror is to have any meaning. Besides, while he is a member of Hamas, he isn't a member of the PA (not that it should matter). Therefore, he should be a primary target, and Israel can retain deniability of them confronting this "fledgling government", since an attack on Damascus isn't an attack on the PA.
Use some imagination. Think outside the box. And don't worry about weakening the Alawite regime such that the Syrian Muslim brotherhood comes to power. Let them. They won't make peace with Israel, and let Israel eviscerate the Syrian armed forces and extend the Golan Heights to Damascus, gaining necessary strategic depth.
Infidel33
You missed the irony/sarcasm. "Redeploy" was my way of suggesting that Syria be invaded and de-baathified, Iraq style. Actually, I agree with you - I don't support the nation-building part of the Iraq project, nor would I support one in Syria. But what I do support is ousting that government and destroying the Syrian army. Sure, that might put the Muslim Brotherhood in power, but that would then be a wonderful pretext to bomb them into the stone age (not much damage there), and let Israel have Damascus.
Only reason I'd hesitate to support it is that if the administration does decide to take on Syria, they'll go in with the Pottery Barn rule like they did in Iraq. Which we don't need.
I'd hesitate to support it is that if the administration does decide to take on Syria, they'll go in with the Pottery Barn rule like they did in Iraq - Infidel Pride
Not "Bed, Baath, and Beyond?"
Pray tell how can "Israel have Damascus", when it and the whole region up to the walls that they are building are full of Jew hating Muslims?
Israel can't even have Israel, without a daily siege of rockets and suicide bombers, how could they "have Syria, much less any portion of the rest of the region?
If you can't hold it, can't secure it, can't travel peacefully, can't conduct business.. they you don't "have it".
Nariz:
The same holds true for Islam.The Islamophere, beset with pogroms, thuggish dictators and theocrats, absolute lack of respect for human life, ridiculous 'religious' mores like female genital mutilation and honor killings, and innumerable (and unfathomable) other horrors, doesn't 'have' Islam. Islam 'has' Islamia.
But unlike Islam, at least Judaism has positive attributes worth the effort of 'having.'
Nariz
I was suggesting the Golan Heights model - Israel take Damascus, expel all Muslims from that s___hole, annex it (a la Golan), settle its own people there, and call it home.
Speaking of which, it's high time they implemented the "transfer" solution. Of course, for that, they need balls.
Let the Syrians come and die along with their muslim brothers. Somebody's blood will fill the valley of Megiddo someday, and it isn't going to be the Jews.
Ah, the Armageddon!
I'll pick up from Ronin up there and put a twist on it: "outrage" is their weapon of choice. Although WMDs of all sorts would have a nice casualty count, it is bad PR, and they know it (of course, that does not apply when muslims are killing other muslims; in that case, any weapon is a good weapon; besides, they've been reading Chomsky for years...).
Now, a nice martyr or two (or 2000, or so...), that's good for the cause . So, like in the game of chess, they are protecting the king, while presenting a bunch of pawns for the slaughter. The anology stops there: any piece removed at this stage won't necessarily lead to a smart play from the opponent, but to a loud reaction of those watching form the sidelines -- which include chair-throwing and name-calling...
Our goal is to stop paying attention to the brawl, and go on with the game.
IAF performs 'flyover' above Assad's palace
Can I claim credit for the IAF reading my post above yesterday, and deciding to take my suggestion?
Maybe only if they conquer Damascus ;->
Seems fairly obvious what is going to happen. Trained in Iraq the insurgents have now taught the Palestinian terrorists.
First step, provoke invasion of Palestinian territory by Israel.
Step two conduct nasty war of terrorism in streets of Gaza, RPG, rockets, hostage taking and IEDs.
Step three, when Israel is irretrievably bogged down in terrorism and streetfighting and their resources are in Gaza, another Muslim force invades Israel from the East.
Would that be Syria?
Israel should learn from all of its failed tactics of the past. Efforts that have played the Restraint Card -for absolutely no gains- for almost 60 years.
Every house in Gaza, one by one, should be levelled, until the solider is freed.
Giving out the rationale to the hand-wringing world that "we are searching every structure for our son".
How many Gaza homes would Hamas be willing to see turned to rubble?
If it took ALL of them, then the IDF could move to the West bank "Palestinian" houses, and keep going.
If the soldier is not returned, or is dead, then evict all "Palestinians" from historical Israel and live with the consequences.
Meyer Kahane was right.
Now may be the moment to show it.
Infidel Pride, of course Israel's best chance of getting Gilad back alive [if he is still alive], is the pressure Assad of Syria. We already started by flying over his summer home in northern Syria. Next, we should turn off the lights in Damascus [Why do the need electricity, anyway? There was no electric power system in Muhammad's time]. I say first cut off the electricity to Damascus as a gradual step. Then move to little rockets aimed at his presidential palace. Then, if the previous moves have failed, hit him hard wherever he is. Raze his palace. Destroy the Syrian air force [this would be good for Russia who can then restock Syria, if Syria can pay for it].
I fear that Gil`ad is gone. Hence, the fools who want to trade terrorist prisoners for him, can't get him back alive no matter what they do. Why don't the kidnappers show us that he is still alive? There is no point in trading live terrorist prisoners for one dead body, even of our loved one. But you know, the Arabs like to bargain over corpses, which they have already done with us. Releasing any prisoners that we hold would just invite unending kidnappings. Any fools in our cabinet who want to do so, should be asked to resign. We have already suffered greatly from previous "prisoner exchange" deals, starting in 1985 with the "Jibril Deal," when the professional fool Shim`on Peres was prime minister.
Eliyahu
I tend to agree, but don't wish to speculate on someone being dead before that's confirmed. But the IDF should be retaliating for the murder of your namesake - attacking Ramallah, Nablus, Jericho and Hebron. Profitsbeard is right. I don't know how the average Israeli regards Meir Kahane, and not knowing much about them, I don't want to advocate them. But it's high time the transfer solution was back on the table.
The idea of releasing terrorists for hostages is a bad one in and of itself, but one can at least make a humanitarian argument that saving the lives of hostages is more important than continued incarcaration of terrorists. It's a weak one since it implies subjecting the lives of others to future threats.
But releasing terrorists for corpses? This is the most insane policy ever produced. Why can't rabbis (and in case of other religions, their respective clergy) come up with a ceremony whereby if a body is not discovered, but given up for dead (like the missing Israeli airman in Lebanon, or the missing US airman in Iraq from 1991 - I forget his name), his last rites can be performed in absentia, so that the peace of mind that comes after laying one to rest can be attained in other ways. But by releasing terrorists for corpses, the government doing it is endangering its own citizens, while getting back something, which, although it delivers peace of mind and a certain degree of 'closure' (I hate that word).
A big bargain for the terrorists, and almost nothing for those at the other end.