Syrian's are gutless, they would rather send in suicide killer bombers than fight with uniformed military. cowards to the core. Israelis just keep showing how cowardly the arab nations are. these muslim countries cannot face total humilation by sending in their military and lose, they rather go in the dark, ambush, hide among women and children, send in losers who are brain washed by their immans. But we all know the muslim nation to be made of centuries of cowards, they lie, ambush is stated in the Koran. what a blueprint to follow by foul corrupt leaders leading fools to slaughter.

Posted by: Lulu at July 9, 2006 8:30 AM

The last time there was a major clash between the Syrian and Israeli forces was an air battle. 82 Syrian planes were shot down; not a single Israeli plane was lost. Something to think about.

Something else for the Alawites to think about: if they are militarily humiliated by Israel, and if they attack that is certainly what will happen, the "real Muslims" in Syria, those who would attack not only the Alawite rulers but every Alawite village, will be whipped up. So far the Alawite strategy of allowing and even facilitating Iranian weapons and money and agents to go through Syria to the Shi'a Hezbollah in Lebanon, and allowing Sunni Muslims to enter Iraq to join "Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia" kill Shi'a as "Rafidite dogs" has allowed the Alawites to continue under new and far less secure management. But the Israelis could do all kinds of damage to them, and they would then have to worry, not about losing power, but about Alawites everywhere in Syria losing their lives.

Something to think about.

Posted by: Hugh at July 9, 2006 9:19 AM

I am sure that the IDF is shaking in their boots.

Even with the element of total surprise 2 Syrian divisions could not beat 2 depleted israeli battalions on the Golan Heights in 1973.

Once the Sinai was secure and reinforcements arrived the israeli counterattack had not only Damascus in their sights but Cairo also.
However, as someone said, Israel fed enough arabs already without taking on any more.

Posted by: Zathras at July 9, 2006 9:22 AM

Ofcourse you are humiliated when you buy russian "militairy hardware" (better known as: "junk"). You can't just blame the Israeli's for your collapse of all humanity, economic progress and decency.

Posted by: DrWolffenstein at July 9, 2006 9:43 AM

Syria just proves that Islam has more than one armpit. Syria should think several times about confronting Israel. That may not be a wise thing to do. Of course, Islamics are not very wise to begin with, if they were, they would not be Islamics. 'Waiting for Al-Mahdi', sounds like the name of a 'B' grade movie. Egypt better square up its act as well. You would think these Islamic countrys would think twice about taking on Israel a second time, after the first time, but repeating mistakes is the hallmark of someone who is decidedly UNwise...

Posted by: duh_swami at July 9, 2006 10:15 AM

I live in Israel (In the west bank). On the large scale view I'm not worried, Israel has kicked Syria's but every time we have fought. I will say that I hope it doesn't happen. If there is a fight a lot of people I know are going to get called up for it. And some Israelis will be hurt or killed. War is ugly, even when you win.

If they start handing out gas masks here I'll know to worry. (And to shave my beard)

Posted by: Zach at July 9, 2006 10:17 AM

"Peace as a strategic option": The jihadist concept of "truce" in a nutshell.

The Islamic definition of Hudna: "stop shooting at me while I reload!"

Posted by: Tziona at July 9, 2006 10:50 AM

This bluster is just for the Syrian people's consumption. They know very well that the Golan Heights is not Lebanon and favours Israel in any military conflict. The consequences would be another humiliation for Syria. What they meant to say was there would be more belt clad deadheads spreading themselves thinly around the coffee houses and nightclubs of Israel's towns and cities.

Posted by: western infidel at July 9, 2006 11:51 AM

Michelle Malkin draws attention to the latest example of tolerance and brotherly love from Muslims in Nigeria, who stoned (or lynched) a teenage girl for distributing Christian literature--while police looked on with whimsy...

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005508.htm

D. Ox
http://thomistic.blogspot.com

Posted by: Dumb Ox at July 9, 2006 11:59 AM

Now that the Liberal Intelligentsia has proclaimed the death of the Bush Doctrine (so-called Cowboy Diplomacy), I'd like to know what they propose in its place with the Syria's and North Korea's of the world. What hypocrisy, really, since "Progressives" historically are always quick to use force to achieve their ends...

Posted by: Dumb Ox at July 9, 2006 12:04 PM

O.T.

Mark Steyn is on good form on the unspeakable temporarily regarding their dinner as uneatable on account of President Bush's foreign policy.

Hugh has frequently made the case for withdrawal from Iraq, but it is funny to read Mark sending up celebrities who are anti-war for all the wrong reasons. Many are, apparently, joining an anti-war "fast".

... Willie Nelson and Michael Moore are also among those participating in the ''rolling fast,'' which in Michael's case will involve going without the roll. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his lunch for his friends. ...

Personally, if celebrities have to ''put their bodies on the line for peace,'' I'd much rather see them bulk up. How about if Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow promise to put on 20 pounds for every month Bush refuses to end his illegal war? Absent that, it's hard to see what a ''rolling fast'' does except confirm the vague suspicion one or two Americans may harbor that politically active celebrities are a lot of vain dilettantes unwilling to discombobulate their pampered lifestyles. It's unclear whether any of these celebrities will be ''starving'' long enough even to feel hungry.

Posted by: Yojimbo at July 9, 2006 12:15 PM

WE WILL ATTACK!
NO YOU WON’T.
YES… WE WILL!
NO… YOU WON’T.
YES… PREPARE TO BE ASSIMILATED!
NO… PREPARE TO BE ANNILIATED.
YES!
NO.
YES!
NO.
Ridiculous

Posted by: tgusa at July 9, 2006 12:19 PM

quote:"Ofcourse you are humiliated when you buy russian "militairy hardware" (better known as: "junk").

I know that during the gulf war and the iraqi invasion the russian tanks did not do so well
but those tanks hardly represented prime red army weapons.

In both the 1967 and the 1973 wars they did quite well and it is a fact that the israelis still have a large number of russian made tanks in mothballs just in case.

Of course they are re-armed with the standard israeli weapons, have israeli made optics and reactive armour and engines, all in the need for standardisation but have always done well in israeli hands so the displays of the Syrians cannot be blamed upon the poor quality of their weaponry.

It is also a fact that the soviets rarely supplied anyone with current red army equpment but instead used a more low tech model so as not to disadvantage themselves whe someone captured one as happend to the SAM-3s(or ?4s I forget) in 1967.

Posted by: Zathras at July 9, 2006 12:21 PM

I will be truly surprised if Syria is foolish enough to antagonize Israel further, but if they do, this is going to escalate into the war we've all been expecting. Israel would be foolish to react with anything but overwhelming force to any Syrian aggression.

Posted by: Foehammer at July 9, 2006 12:50 PM

I, for one, am not impressed with the Israeli response to the kidnapping of the corporal and the daily missle attacks. It is too weak and disjointed. I see no clear plan of attack. They go in and clear an area then leave and the arabs come right back in and set up their rockets. I perceive the Israeli response as weak, and if I perceive that, just what do the arabs perceive? Olmert seems to not have a plan. He seems tentative and afraid that he may offend someone. He is out of his depth.

Posted by: Caratacus at July 9, 2006 1:06 PM

Once again, Dirty Harry comes to mind:

“Go ahead, make my day.”

Heh.

Posted by: Shy Guy at July 9, 2006 1:32 PM

I said earlier on that this Gaza kidnapping and attacks has been organised to draw Israeli firepower and resources to the West while the terrorist entity of Syria attacks from the east.
I even wrote to the Israeli government to warn them, whether they will take any notice I don't know but I hope they do. Israel today, Bradford and Oldham tomorrow I say.

Posted by: IceDragon at July 9, 2006 1:34 PM

OT

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L09247074.htm

JERUSALEM, July 9 (Reuters) - A majority of Palestinians back the abduction of a Israeli soldier and the firing of rockets at Israel although nearly half feel these actions could ultimately hurt them, a poll on Sunday showed.

Posted by: Animus at July 9, 2006 1:38 PM

"JERUSALEM, July 9 (Reuters) - A majority of Palestinians back the abduction of a Israeli soldier and the firing of rockets at Israel although nearly half feel these actions could ultimately hurt them, a poll on Sunday showed.
" That sums up Muslim mentality in it's entirety. They are not concerned with their own well being, they don't care if they suffer hardship or extinction as long as they can damage someone else. They don't want a Palestinian state, their main goal is the extinction of Israel. Furthermore if they do get their wish do you think that they would be satisfied at that? No! They would spread out, and attack Jewish people worldwide, their argument would them be if there was one Jew left alive there would be a danger of a Jewish state.

Posted by: IceDragon at July 9, 2006 4:49 PM

I do hope Syria attacks, and forces a war, since Israel isn't going to be the one that starts it.

And hope Egypt joins in as well - it's high time their military is decimated again, and that Washington stops looking at them as a friend, let alone an ally

Posted by: Infidel Pride at July 9, 2006 6:29 PM

The problem is that Egypt will pretend to be the good cop as opposed to the bad cop of Syria thus weakening Israel's capability of being able to get rid of it's enemies. they know that they cannot attack another state if it is going through the motions of being the "peacekeeper" although while Egypt's mouth says peace, their military arms Hamas.

Posted by: IceDragon at July 9, 2006 7:36 PM

Isn't it funny how these brave, Allah following, martyrdom seeking Islamic leaders talk about the destruction of Israel without wanting to be the first to make good on the threat? Probably just a coincidence, but Mohammed himself promised his minions the power and protection of Allah whenever they raided a new settlement, yet he never led his troops into the fray. Go figure, huh?

Posted by: OLDPUPPYMAX at July 9, 2006 8:30 PM

... Willie Nelson and Michael Moore are also among those participating in the ''rolling fast,'' ...
+++++++++++++++++++

Is this the new odd couple??????????

Posted by: Texican at July 9, 2006 9:09 PM

For those of you Ditto heads who delight in dissing Michael Moore, it is obvious (very obvious) that you haven't read his books or seen his movie..and are little more than an echo chamber of Mssr Limpballs, the hypocrite drug addict.

Suffice it to say that Disney Theaters would not play Farenheit 9-11, and do you know why? Because Disney, which owns ABC, has sufficient ownership by Saudi Prince Walid bin Talal to estop the showing of the movie.

Strange bedfellows heh what.. Bush Bot Conservatives and Wahabbiyah Terrorists.

Also Michael Moore relied very heavily on Craig Ungers House of Saud House of Bush, the publication of which was estopped in England by a threat of a law suit by the Saudis.

Leftists are hormonal morons, but rightists are hormonal and mental morons on top of being feckless and lazy.

Back on subject, vis a vis Syria..and Arab military prowess (or lack thereof), they have no choice but to use suicide bombers because as a military unit they are totally useless, and the reason for that should be obvious, the nature of Islam.. Even a young America was able, with three ships, to bring Islamic Jihadists to their knees, and the only reason they conquered anyone at all is that they did so piecemeal attacking the variouos parts of the Persian and Byzantine Empires when they were at their weakest, having worn themselves out in constant wars, and then incorporating as soldiers and cavalry the peoples whom the conquered.. the mamalukes or "slaves on horseback", Yani Shari's to the Turks.

Why Arabs Lose Wars.. hint: Inability to accept responsibility, criticism and inshallah fatalism. Also read Raphael Patai's The Arab Mind (should be the Muslim Mind since they are one and the same).

Posted by: Nariz at July 9, 2006 9:27 PM

Nariz

Michael Moore is on record as being anti-Israel - something he cleverly concealed in Farenheit 911

Posted by: Infidel Pride at July 9, 2006 10:39 PM

Nariz-

Does that mean that the 500 shells found in Iraq, loaded with sarin and mustard gas, (the latter poison still sufficiently toxic in disposed-of artillery shells from WW II ...which were dumped off New Jersey's coast in the late 1940's... that this state continues to issue warnings to all shell-fishermen to contact the Coast Guard if they accidentally bring one up, and to never touch said shells) can be delivered to Michael Moore's mansion?

"No WMD's" my ass.

"Bush lied" my ass.

Moore is one more myopic pimp for the suicide of America and the West, using faux-criticism of the Saudis, to undermine the fighting abilities of his own country.

Otherwise he would have been against Saddam when he gassed the Kurds.

No movie in that though.

Because it doesn't hurt the 'hyperpower'.

Moore is transparently anti-military and Islam-delusional.

Bush (Religion of Peace) and the Saudis (Wahabbis, what Wahabbis?) are part of the problem we face in defending our freedom, but sinking the security of the nation in order to try to drown these two "kissin'-cousins" is hardly the course of a usefully-focused mind.

Moore's minor-key accurate critiques are like someone noticing that the handle of the jihadist's knife coming at his neck is made of black rhino horn, and who then begins to complain about this flagrant violation of the Endangered Species' Act, forgetting that his windpipe is about to be severed, permanently, by the more important part of the subject matter.

His misses the BIG point to make his very little ones.

(I think Willie Nelson has just been growing too strong a strain of sensemilla, lately.)

Posted by: profitsbeard at July 10, 2006 2:14 AM