Lebanon, Gaza, and the Syrian-Iranian Axis
Walid Phares, middle east scholar and author of Future Jihad, on the Hamas grab in Gaza:
http://counterterrorismblog.org/2007...ader_syroi.php
Quote:
The latest dramatic military and terror events in Gaza and Lebanon can be viewed from a regional geopolitical perspective: A Syro-Iranian axis offensive on its (their) primarily western front stretching along the Mediterranean coast.
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Iran's and Syria's offensives have been well-coordinated on battlefields across the Levant since last January, with a clear escalation since early spring.
- In The Eye of the Beholder
This group makes Hamas out to be the rightful heirs to solve the palestinian's many problems, saviors, even heroic.
http://conflictsforum.org/
"Anything to make Israel's enemies America 's enemies right?" (Walrus)
When Mubarak of Egypt invited Olmert from Israel, Abbas from the palestinians and Abdullah II from Jordan for a summit, there was not a place at the table for hamas. I suppose a neo-con could construe this to mean Egypt essentially regards hamas as disruptive. With just a tad bit of a stretch of imagination, or if one were an Israeli for instance, one could even surmise Egypt regards hamas as an enemy. I certainly would if I were Mubarak or George Bush, or Abdullah for that matter.
Contemporary meaning of axis
Actually, the term "axis" has very specific meaning when used in discourse these days: it is intended to draw a direct line back to Hitler's Germany, seen by many as the ultimate expression of evil (although in a historical sense that's debatable...there are many contenders for that throne). Prior to this, the term wasn't in common use at all. Alliances were alliances, either of convenience (as might be seen with France and Russia prior to World War I or the US and USSR during World War II) or out of ethnic ties (see Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire prior to World War I). There was not an implied linkage "to the death" or automatic connotation of evil...until ol' Benito coined the term "Axis."
While Iran and Syria may have some common goals and objectives, I think it's rather foolish to automatically assume that they are joined at the hip in evil intentions. Alliances in the Middle East historically tend to be very fluid things, used and discarded as convenience dictates (this can also be said for much of the world). Describing them as an Axis carries a specific message...one that I believe is intentional on the part of those using the term.
-Nuke Potential In Syria Compliments of Iran or N. Korea - ?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297034,00.html
"JERUSALEM — Israel's chief of military intelligence was ordered not to discuss an alleged air raid on Syria before a powerful parliamentary panel, tightening the veil of secrecy the government has thrown around the issue.
Tzachi Hanegbi, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, said he instructed Israel's military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin to avoid any mention of Syria at a committee meeting Sunday. Panel members regularly report to journalists during and after committee meetings.
In a statement some participants saw as an oblique reference to the alleged Syria raid, Yadlin told the meeting, "Israel's deterrence has been rehabilitated since the Lebanon war, and it affects the entire regional system, including Iran and Syria," according to a lawmaker who was present.
The lawmaker spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the meeting's contents to the media.
Foreign news reports have suggested that Israel struck a Syrian site designed to make non-conventional weapons, possibly a nuclear installation built with North Korean help.
John Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., told Israeli Channel 10 TV he thought Israel might have been attacking a nuclear installation, "a message not only to Syria, but to Iran."
One would think something would be
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sean Osborne
Absolutely.
When it comes to this terrorist I would ordinarily agree with you, his OPSEC most likely would have no chance of being cracked by the sources noted.
However, note that the cited report has beau coup specifics about people, places and itinerary that is extraordinary and almost certainly did not originate with Stratfor. I doubt they'd make such detail up out of the ether. I would tend to think that kind of info would almost have to be HUMINT-based.
Don't know if another dot connects, but Hezbollah concluded a massive 3-day exercise a couple of weeks ago which was clearly in violation of UNSC 1701. Something might be brewing. Not saying it is or isn't, but might be.
As usual not trying to over simplify things but wouldn't it make sense that with the all the efforts in regards to this particular area right now, one would assume their not just going to sit on their duffs.
They'll try something now if we knew the what rather then the who, ;)