This was supposed to be a devastating Syrian surprise for Israel….We’ve known for a long time that Syria has deadly chemical warheads on its Scuds, but Israel can’t live with a nuclear warhead [in Syria or Iran]. [Sunday Times of London quoting a reliable Israeli source]
On Sunday, American media gave the impression that recycled “BREAKING NEWS” about O.J. Simpson and Britney Spears was of global importance.
Meanwhile, British media distinguished itself by reporting breaking news about a story of indisputably-critical global importance, which actually reads like a Hollywood script. In particular, the Sunday Times of London led with the sensational headline: Israel blew apart Syrian nuclear cache.
And here, in part, is what the Times reported went down on 6 September:
It was just after midnight when the 69th Squadron of Israeli F15Is crossed the Syrian coast-line. On the ground, Syria’s formidable air defences went dead. An audacious raid on a Syrian target 50 miles from the Iraqi border was under way.
At a rendezvous point on the ground, a Shaldag air force commando team was waiting to direct their laser beams at the target for the approaching jets. The team had arrived a day earlier, taking up position near a large underground depot. Soon the bunkers were in flames.
But this story is especially noteworthy because it not only harkens back to Israel’s 1981 air raid that destroyed Iraq’s nuclear facilities, but also telestrates my concerns about a looming attack (by Israel or the US) to destroy Iran’s nuclear cache.
In fact, here’s what I wrote in April 2006 about Israel’s resolve in this regard:
…[P]ay no mind to the international blather about Iran’s nuclear program. Because when Israel determines that Iran is on the threshold of possessing nuclear weapons that could, in fact, wipe it off the map, Israel will launch military strikes to take out Iran’s nuclear program, just as it did to take out Iraq’s nuclear facilities in 1981.
…as the most unpopular (lame-duck) president in US history – Bush has nothing to lose, but much to gain, by attacking Iran. After all, only the opinion of historians matter to him now. And nothing would do more to redeem his presidential legacy than a preemptive strike to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
Although, if truth be told, most world leaders would welcome such a strike…if it were successful. Because they know as well as Bush does that no amount of diplomatic pressure or UN negotiations will ever stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
In fact, here’s how Bruno Tertrais of the Foundation for Strategic explained the French resolve:
Both in content and in appearance things are shifting, and France is more in phase with US policy. It is not a question of alignment, but of convergences — especially on the Iranian issue.
Therefore, despite [French President Nicolas] Sarkozy affecting Hamletian doubt about becoming as much an enabler for US-led air strikes against Iran, as British PM Tony Blair was for the US-led invasion of Iraq, I fear that my geostrategic prognosis of this situation [ie, the looming war with Iran] is even more of a sure bet today than it was two weeks ago.
It is instructive to note, however, that Israel launched air strikes against Syria because credible intelligence revealed that – despite North Korea’s declarations to the contrary – it was supplying this “terrorist state” (and Israel’s mortal enemy) with nuclear materials.
Which makes my warning just two weeks ago about North Korea’s congenital duplicity – in an article entitled North Korea denuked?! Dream on – seem prophetic.
(Incidentally, some experts suspect that North Korea conspired with Syria to hide the materials from parties involved in ongoing “Six-Party Talks” to dismantle its nuclear program; Whereas, others speculate that Syria bought the contraband outright to further its own nuclear ambitions. Alas, North Korea is as North Korea does.)
But for years I’ve been lamenting “the willing suspension of disbelief” amongst some in America when it comes to the trustworthiness of this hermit kingdom’s “Dr Strangelove” – President Kim Jong-il. After all, it was the first “2 for 1” Clinton Administration that gave Lil’ Kim the cover of a patently-flawed nuclear disarmament agreement under which he developed the materials Israel was just compelled to destroy in Syria.
Finally, you’re probably wondering when, indeed if, Syria will respond.
All I can say is the military and political echelon is looking into a series of responses as we speak. [Syrian vice-president, Farouk al-Sharaa]
But frankly, almost two weeks after being attacked, Syria seems to have been cowered into limiting its response to aiding and abetting Hezbollah in its declared mission to not only destabilize the pro-Western Lebanese government, but also wipe Israel off the map.
Perhaps you recall how a ragtag band of Hezbollah guerrilla fighters bedeviled the Israeli Army last summer – after Israel attacked their stronghold in Southern Lebanon vowing to rout them out. Therefore, I rather suspect Israel would welcome a direct response from Syria as an opportunity to avenge that humiliating incursion and vindicate the reputation of its vaunted military.
So stay tuned….
Related Articles:
Time to put up or shut up about Iran’s nuclear program
Bush will attack Iran to redeem his presidency (note the UPDATE)
Bush setting America up for war with Iran
North Korea denuked?! Dream on…
Israel attacks Syria, Israel attacks Iran
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