US worried that Israel may strike Syrian WMD sites

[Peter1469]

I wonder if some of these munitions rolled across their boarder in early 2003.

http://freebeacon.com/target-syrian-wmd/

[Calypso Jones]

US is worried. Why is that? That Israel might beat the tar outta Syria?

[Peter1469]

No. That it would increase tensions in the region. Things like this can spiral out of control.

[MMC]

Why would Israel want to go after Syria.....right now. Especially after they released last week that the MB in Egypt gave the go ahead to Hamas to fire rockets into Israel. Also Israel is watching what is happening in Egypt.

If they were to get into it with Syria. I think Iran would know whats coming and push to get whatever material they have ready.

[Peter1469]

The article says that Israel is worried that militants will get Syria's WMD stockpile; so they are thinking about blowing it up first.

[MMC]

This piece also admits that we have Spec ops in the Country. To top it off that we don't know of all their facilities. I doubt the Israelis do either. I believe the Israelis are worried but I don't get the feeling that they are looking to make any move.

Morelike we are looking to find a legitimate rationale for involvement. Also an excuse that can be used with the rest of NATO and the UN security Council.

[Shoot the Goose]

I wonder if some of these munitions rolled across their boarder in early 2003.

http://freebeacon.com/target-syrian-wmd/

What ? Is this a joke ? Or just uninformed ? Following the lead of an article that is equally uninformed ?

Get familiar with "Operation Orchard". Sep 6, 2007. A Syrian Nuclear reactor.

220

Click on that. The left side is before. The right side after. No one claimed responsibility. Syria didn't raise a stink either.

What Israel might do ? ................ they've already done it once !!!

[Trinnity]

Sooner or later, Israel is gonna make some moves on some time sensitive situations. All we can do is wait and watch. Obama has little if any say in it. <weak>

[Peter1469]

What ? Is this a joke ? Or just uninformed ? Following the lead of an article that is equally uninformed ?

Get familiar with "Operation Orchard". Sep 6, 2007. A Syrian Nuclear reactor.

220

Click on that. The left side is before. The right side after. No one claimed responsibility. Syria didn't raise a stink either.

What Israel might do ? ................ they've already done it once !!!

Over-the-head.
No joke. Study.

[Goldie Locks]

No. That it would increase tensions in the region. Things like this can spiral out of control.

Is that possible???

[Peter1469]

Of course. Look at how WWI started.

[RollingWave]

Sooner or later, Israel is gonna make some moves on some time sensitive situations. All we can do is wait and watch. Obama has little if any say in it. <weak>

Pretty much no US president have been able to realistically control Isreal, Bill Clinton once came out a meet with the Israeli and said that they were talking to him like THEY'RE the leader of the free world.

Unfortunately if Israel gets dragged into all this and a region war start involving them, then the US will almost certainly intervine no matter who's in office and that's probably gonna give a huge boner to all the neo cons.

[Peter1469]

I think that the only thing Obama will do is to insure that the Straights of Hormuz stay open. Other than that, Obama will lead from behind.

[RollingWave]

I think that the only thing Obama will do is to insure that the Straights of Hormuz stay open. Other than that, Obama will lead from behind.

which he'll be called weak for by the same folks who also don't want him to intervine.. kinda a lose lose situation ;)

Truthfully though, if it esclate then Egypt with it's current craptacular situation seems very likely to not stand idle either.. by that point the Suez and Israel being in a multi front war seem to require the US to intervine very strongly or risk Israel go kaput (and/or mushroom clouds show up in Cairo / Damscus) most of these scenarios seem to end up with the worst disastors since the end of WW2...

[MMC]

Today marks the 6th day straight Israel has been hit with rockets. Coming from Palestine. So things are stirring up. Which we must be smart enough to ignore anything the MB has to say. As they are behind some of these moves on Israel. Depsite any peace treaties from Arab countries and despite Assad's internal conflict. Which really isn't so internal.

[Shoot the Goose]

Over-the-head.
No joke. Study.

I meant the article. Or rather the sub-title used



Target: Syrian WMD

U.S. concerned Israel may launch attacks on Syrian WMD sites


Then here is the article. Note the first paragraph, saying we are "closely watching Israel" .... and then nowhere cites any source for the rest of the next 7 paragraphs. Doesn't even mention Israel again is all of the first 8 paragraphs.


U.S. intelligence agencies are closely watching Israel’s military for signs it will conduct strikes on Syria’s stockpiles of chemical weapons, amid concerns the deadly nerve agents could fall under the control of Hezbollah or al Qaeda terrorists, U.S. officials said.

Syria’s arsenal remains vulnerable as the result of the internal conflict currently underway in Syria between government forces and opposition rebels, one official said.

“Everyone suspects Syria maintains an active chemical weapons program; and it would be dangerous not to plan accordingly,” the official said.

As for concerns the weapons will be captured or transferred, the official said: “Most countries that have CW stocks view it as a strategic, not tactical, tool—and strategic tools are usually pretty well protected and aren’t given away lightly.”

However, other U.S. officials said special operations forces are prepared to take action inside Syria in the event the regime falls and the country spirals further into chaos. The teams would seek to secure or destroy stockpiles of chemical arms to keep them from being taken over by terrorists. Hezbollah has been very active in Syria, and there are reports that al Qaeda terrorists have moved into Syria during the current crisis.

The exact size of the Syrian chemical arsenal is not known. The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported several years ago that Syria has stockpiled 500 to 1,000 metric tons of chemical agents. The weapons are said to include long-lasting VX nerve agent and less-persistent Sarin nerve agent, as well as mustard blister agents.

Most but not all of the weapons stockpiles are known to U.S. intelligence agencies.

The New York Times reported (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/world/middleeast/cia-said-to-aid-in-steering-arms-to-syrian-rebels.html?pagewanted=all) Thursday that CIA operatives are working in southern Turkey to coordinate foreign assistance to Syrian rebel forces.


Still no mention of Israel. But it does mention that the concern about WMD's is valid, and that we realize the need to neutralize those stockpiles if things get worse.

In fact, one has to get to about the 9th paragraph before Israel is mentoned again. Here it is:


Recent statements by senior Israeli military officials prompted U.S. concerns over an Israeli strike on Syria.


Then nowhere for the rest of the article does it cite any U.S.source saying anything remotely akin to "we are worried about Israel".

What I believe far more likely, and accurate, is that the US and Israel are working together closely on this. Just as we did Stuxnet and Flame ... etc. Just as we provided much intel on taking out the reactor in '07.

The article headline is a farce.

[MMC]

Well.....there is the other problem Israel is dealing with right now. I would agree both would be concerned.

[Peter1469]

The first sentence says that the US is watching the Israeli military for signs that it may attack. That is a mention of Israel.

I don't think that Obama would go from working with Israel on cyberwarfare to overt military force.

If I am not mistaken, titles of articles are created by some editor, not the author.

[moon]

....they released last week that the MB in Egypt gave the go ahead to Hamas to fire rockets into Israel. ...

Linkie, please . * The Palestinians responded with rockettes to the murder of other Palestinians by means of Israeli air strikes- * illegal in themselves. * They wouldn't need any permissions from any third party. **

[Peter1469]

One would think that Palestinians would try something else, since their cheap rockets don't seem to do much except give Israel an excuse to demonstrate effective military force. The Palestinians should study Gandhi and MLK's non-violent techniques since they have zero chances of winning through military means.

[Carygrant]

The article looks like standard disinformation to me .
Firstly , recall what publicly happened in Libya when the presence of their much smaller overall holding of chemical and biological weapons was revealed . Nothing .
Do people really believe that it was good fortune that such weapons were not used ? Or if thery were in small doses , never admitted publicly ?
Of course not . NATO Elite forces had top priority to move into Libya in top secret and do whatever was required to ensure they played no part in the war .What mention have you heard in any publication on the planet of the 10 ton of mustard gas that was stockpiled by Gadaffi ? Did it conveniently degrade itself or was the one man in the whole of Libya who knew its exact location eliminated? Garbage . The matter has been " privately resolved "
The same principles apply in Syria except at a far greater priority because there are at least 50 plants across the country identified as being part of Syria's chemical and biological availability .
What sort of attack would Israel need to mount to nullify such a total threat ---- 250 planes at an absolute minimum with on the ground special forces support . A nonsense scenario .
But other scenarios -- the ones rarely if ever mentioned in the mainstream media -- are teams of NATO and Israeli special forces working in the closest co-operation to solve the most delicate matter of all . On the ground .
With the Russians there in meaningful numbers and as principal suppliers to Syria , these perspectives would have pre-occupied NATO at least 9 months ago when on the ground major exercises were first carried out on Syria's northern border .