[Peace-discuss] Syrian/US firefight

[Chas. 'Mark' Bee]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu>
To: "Peace Discuss" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Syrian/US firefight


> What would be the motive for American (or Syrian) officials
> saying that such clashes had taken place, if they hadn't? --CGE

  The same as for actually causing them - manufacture of consent, of course. 
I'd say the case will eventually be made that with Syria next door always 
ready to create problems for Iraq, we will need to be there as long as is 
convenient.  A new retort for every withdrawal overture - "But what about 
Syria?"

  I expect they are real, created by us, and only the beginning.  I've been 
expecting it for months.  The goal of this administration is apparently to 
extend American demonstrations of power (with their attendant windfall profits 
and republican lock on political power) indefinitely, and creating an enemy 
bloc over there out of nothing has been a central tenet of their propaganda 
effort ever since "axis of evil" and now through "allies of convenience". 
It's how they forced Iran to elect a hardass they can hassle with and I expect 
similar radicalization regionwide over time.

  They simply must have a new front heating up for the 2006 and 2008 
elections, and mere saber-rattling doesn't draw folks out properly when you 
have an overwhelming force.


>
> ---- Original message ----
>>Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2005 23:21:08 -0500
>>From: "Morton K. Brussel" <brussel at uiuc.edu>
>>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Syrian/US firefight
>>To: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu>
>>Cc: Peace Discuss <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>>
>>Thanks, Carl.  I conclude from all this that it is not clear
> what is
>>going on there. One can only have suspicions at this point.
> Frontier
>>skirmishes are not equivalent to an invasion.
>>Moreover,  information from former and present officials of our
>>government cannot be trusted. Spin is too prevalent,
> especially when
>>we don't know the backgrounds of the informants. Yet, I would
> not be
>>surprised at Bush clique machinations with regard to Syria.
>>
>>--Mort
>>
>>
>>On Oct 23, 2005, at 10:29 PM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
>>
>>> [Mort asked tonight for the some documentation of clashes
>>> between US and Syrian troops.  --CGE]
>>>
>>>
>>>         GI's and Syrians in Tense Clashes on Iraqi Border
>>>         By James Risen and David E. Sanger
>>>         The New York Times
>>>         Saturday 15 October 2005
>>>
>>>         Washington, Oct. 14 - A series of clashes in the last
>>> year between American and Syrian troops, including a prolonged
>>> firefight this summer that killed several Syrians, has raised
>>> the prospect that cross-border military operations may become
>>> a dangerous new front in the Iraq war, according to current
>>> and former military and government officials.
>>>
>>>         The firefight, between Army Rangers and Syrian troops
>>> along the border with Iraq, was the most serious of the
>>> conflicts with President Bashar al-Assad's forces, according
>>> to American and Syrian officials...
>
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