He claims the Syrian government told the Americans: “If you want to do this, do it. We are going to give you a corridor and carte blanche. We will not harm your troops.”

Wouldn’t be prudent!

(I know I’m mixing up my President Bushes. Poetic license.)

- The Cat

Um, because everytime Syria starts a war with Israel, they get their arses handed to them?

mjk on October 28, 2008 at 6:02 PM

…don’t count on that…the latest foray into Lebanon looked as if it had be scripted by Mack Sennett.

It’s been steps down since 1967. The October War started badly…Lebanon was a slog…and there’ve been missteps and compromises — Land for peace? Has the Israeli Left been paying attention? — all over the place.

There are no givens in the Middle East. None.

Not sure I buy it — it seems just as likely that it’s opportunistic spin designed to drive a wedge between Assad and the jihadis he hosts — but I likes it.

…that old story about the turtle giving the scorpion a ride across the Jordan comes to mind…you can’t trust the rising of the sun or that water flows downhill in the Middle East.

…still, if it puts Assad in dutch, true or untrue, all the better.

Never take what you see in war at face value, especially initial media reporting. The sneakiest bastard wins.

pugwriter on October 28, 2008 at 5:07 PM

…hear, hear!

…the dead are the only honest men or women in a war zone…and one is advised to shoot ‘em again…just to be sure….

And yes, such raids are entirely consistent with the Bush Doctrine (harbor terrorists and you are guilty of terrorism).

I wonder if Assad wanted to save face, give the nod for the raid, even point to where they are, cry about it afterwards, but it was better than turning them over.

If I was a terrorist leader, that is how I would do it.

WoosterOh on October 27, 2008 at 8:09 PM

I suspect the US said to Syria, “We’re going in there. You say no, we go in there anyway. You say yes, we go in there anyway.”

I doubt that. Bush wouldn’t have Syria-Iraq cross border raids for years if he was capable of taking such an attitude.

1) reactor bombed by Israel
2) Hezbulla leader M…killed in Damascas by SOMEONE
3) AQ guy kidnapped by US in the middle of the day

I’m beginning to see a pattern here. Was James Baker correct?

Syria gets bombed by Israel and US and they do nothing.
Why?

Um, because everytime Syria starts a war with Israel, they get their arses handed to them?

I suspect the US said to Syria, “We’re going in there. You say no, we go in there anyway. You say yes, we go in there anyway.” I doubt Syria really had much of a choice. And I suspect why it didn’t happen before is because the Americans wanted to stabilize Iraq before they headed out.

I’m still ticked at Syria for not keeping Nancy Pelosi!

Now that’s funny….let’s roll.

There is so much to loose in every area of life if Obama gets elected, but the security and safety of this country will be in complete turmoil. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the more brilliant military commanders retire if Obama is the people’s choice.

As time goes on, Bush will be seen as a great president. The war was so complex, but this one incident shows that leaders trust his judgment and sincerity.
Will anyone acknowledge that now? No, but in ten years he will be written about in glowing terms.

right2bright on October 28, 2008 at 5:05 PM

Not if the world, especially the USA, has slid far left, as in under BO.

If it doesn’t come, Assad looks either weak or complicit, not something someone in his position can afford to be.

This sounds like the plot line of an episode of Burn Notice. Get a bad guy into a compromising situation, so that his only option is to turn to you for help. I’d assume for now that Syria didn’t give the okay, but we’ve got someone saying they did to put Assad in a tough spot. Either he folds and gets more helpful, or he over compensates and brings down the thunder on himself. Either way, the world wins.

Anyone have video of Michelle wearing Armani?

Paul Murphy on October 28, 2008 at 5:14 PM

Read Debbie Schlussel.

Shy Guy on October 28, 2008 at 5:20 PM

Schlussel is going to the mat for Palin?

Well color me surprised…. or not……
…. leave it up to an “old girlfriend” to get me to look again…and again…and again… and again.

Or was that just a Johnny Cash song?

If it doesn’t come, Assad looks either weak or complicit, not something someone in his position can afford to be.

Unless of course he’s secretly capitulating, knowing that internal polls show McCain winning, (secretly that is) and as such, he might as well give it up already!

:)

Nor could you if you tried.