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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Israelis ‘blew apart Syrian nuclear cache’ |
| 2007-09-16 |
| 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. Ten days after the jets reached home, their mission was the focus of intense speculation this weekend amid claims that Israel believed it had destroyed a cache of nuclear materials from North Korea. The Israeli government was not saying. “The security sources and IDF [Israeli Defence Forces] soldiers are demonstrating unusual courage,” said Ehud Olmert, the prime minister. “We naturally cannot always show the public our cards.” Related Links The Syrians were also keeping mum. “I cannot reveal the details,” said Farouk al-Sharaa, the vice-president. “All I can say is the military and political echelon is looking into a series of responses as we speak. Results are forthcoming.” The official story that the target comprised weapons destined for Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi’ite group, appeared to be crumbling in the face of widespread scepticism. Andrew Semmel, a senior US State Department official, said Syria might have obtained nuclear equipment from “secret suppliers”, and added that there were a “number of foreign technicians” in the country. Asked if they could be North Korean, he replied: “There are North Korean people there. There’s no question about that.” He said a network run by AQ Khan, the disgraced creator of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, could be involved. But why would nuclear material be in Syria? Known to have chemical weapons, was it seeking to bolster its arsenal with something even more deadly? Alternatively, could it be hiding equipment for North Korea, enabling Kim Jong-il to pretend to be giving up his nuclear programme in exchange for economic aid? Or was the material bound for Iran, as some authorities in America suggest? According to Israeli sources, preparations for the attack had been going on since late spring, when Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, presented Olmert with evidence that Syria was seeking to buy a nuclear device from North Korea. The Israeli spy chief apparently feared such a device could eventually be installed on North-Korean-made Scud-C missiles. “This was supposed to be a devastating Syrian surprise for Israel,” said an Israeli source. “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.” An expert on the Middle East, who has spoken to Israeli participants in the raid, told yesterday’s Washington Post that the timing of the raid on September 6 appeared to be linked to the arrival three days earlier of a ship carrying North Korean material labelled as cement but suspected of concealing nuclear equipment. The target was identified as a northern Syrian facility that purported to be an agricultural research centre on the Euphrates river. Israel had been monitoring it for some time, concerned that it was being used to extract uranium from phosphates. According to an Israeli air force source, the Israeli satellite Ofek 7, launched in June, was diverted from Iran to Syria. It sent out high-quality images of a northeastern area every 90 minutes, making it easy for air force specialists to spot the facility. Early in the summer Ehud Barak, the defence minister, had given the order to double Israeli forces on its Golan Heights border with Syria in anticipation of possible retaliation by Damascus in the event of air strikes. Sergei Kirpichenko, the Russian ambassador to Syria, warned President Bashar al-Assad last month that Israel was planning an attack, but suggested the target was the Golan Heights. Israeli military intelligence sources claim Syrian special forces moved towards the Israeli outpost of Mount Hermon on the Golan Heights. Tension rose, but nobody knew why. At this point, Barak feared events could spiral out of control. The decision was taken to reduce the number of Israeli troops on the Golan Heights and tell Damascus the tension was over. Syria relaxed its guard shortly before the Israeli Defence Forces struck. Only three Israeli cabinet ministers are said to have been in the know Olmert, Barak and Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister. America was also consulted. According to Israeli sources, American air force codes were given to the Israeli air force attaché in Washington to ensure Israel’s F15Is would not mistakenly attack their US counterparts. Once the mission was under way, Israel imposed draconian military censorship and no news of the operation emerged until Syria complained that Israeli aircraft had violated its airspace. Syria claimed its air defences had engaged the planes, forcing them to drop fuel tanks to lighten their loads as they fled. But intelligence sources suggested it was a highly successful Israeli raid on nuclear material supplied by North Korea. Washington was rife with speculation last week about the precise nature of the operation. One source said the air strikes were a diversion for a daring Israeli commando raid, in which nuclear materials were intercepted en route to Iran and hauled to Israel. Others claimed they were destroyed in the attack. There is no doubt, however, that North Korea is accused of nuclear cooperation with Syria, helped by AQ Khan’s network. John Bolton, who was undersecretary for arms control at the State Department, told the United Nations in 2004 the Pakistani nuclear scientist had “several other” customers besides Iran, Libya and North Korea. Some of his evidence came from the CIA, which had reported to Congress that it viewed “Syrian nuclear intentions with growing concern”. “I’ve been worried for some time about North Korea and Iran outsourcing their nuclear programmes,” Bolton said last week. Syria, he added, was a member of a “junior axis of evil”, with a well-established ambition to develop weapons of mass destruction. The links between Syria and North Korea date back to the rule of Kim Il-sung and President Hafez al-Assad in the last century. In recent months, their sons have quietly ordered an increase in military and technical cooperation. Foreign diplomats who follow North Korean affairs are taking note. There were reports of Syrian passengers on flights from Beijing to Pyongyang and sightings of Middle Eastern businessmen from sources who watch the trains from North Korea to China. On August 14, Rim Kyong Man, the North Korean foreign trade minister, was in Syria to sign a protocol on “cooperation in trade and science and technology”. No details were released, but it caught Israel’s attention. Syria possesses between 60 and 120 Scud-C missiles, which it has bought from North Korea over the past 15 years. Diplomats believe North Korean engineers have been working on extending their 300-mile range. It means they can be used in the deserts of northeastern Syria the area of the Israeli strike. The triangular relationship between North Korea, Syria and Iran continues to perplex intelligence analysts. Syria served as a conduit for the transport to Iran of an estimated £50m of missile components and technology sent by sea from North Korea. The same route may be in use for nuclear equipment. But North Korea is at a sensitive stage of negotiations to end its nuclear programme in exchange for security guarantees and aid, leading some diplomats to cast doubt on the likelihood that Kim would cross America’s “red line” forbidding the proliferation of nuclear materials. Christopher Hill, the State Department official representing America in the talks, said on Friday he could not confirm “intelligence-type things”, but the reports underscored the need “to make sure the North Koreans get out of the nuclear business”. By its actions, Israel showed it is not interested in waiting for diplomacy to work where nuclear weapons are at stake. As a bonus, the Israelis proved they could penetrate the Syrian air defence system, which is stronger than the one protecting Iranian nuclear sites. This weekend President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran sent Ali Akbar Mehrabian, his nephew, to Syria to assess the damage. The new “axis of evil” may have lost one of its spokes. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #29 SYRIA > may be in possible violation of NPT Treaty. *Vari Israeli Posters > Syrian incident shows time growing short for Israel or World to do something about Iran. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-09-16 23:36 |
| #28 Probably a good amount of Saddam's old WMD were taken out : lots of intel says that Saddam handed over a bunch of his WMD program to his fellow Baathists in Syria, just before we invaded. It was supposedly hidden in special bunkers in the Bekka Valley, but then, the Lebanese starting pushing against the Syrians, and the Hezb'allah dustup with Israel made that untenable. There were reports at the time of special Syrian convoys picking up "items" from the Bekka and heading home to Syria. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2007-09-16 20:50 |
| #27 Given its land area and population densities, Israel gener cannot tolerate the detonation(s) any high-yield WMD warhead, thus their need to preempt. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-09-16 20:40 |
| #26 OK!...OK!...I gotta say it... Any of Sadams junk in that ditch? You know...WMD's? |
| Posted by: Herb Sheans7082 2007-09-16 19:39 |
| #25 She needs to send Murtha over to asses That's certainly one way to refer to Syria's leadership. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-09-16 19:02 |
| #24 the good thing is that if Pelosi makes another trip to Syria, Assad will most likely bitch slap her and I hope they get a picture of that event... |
| Posted by: Mad Eye Pholuter1361 2007-09-16 18:33 |
| #23 #21 Nancy Pelosi is going to be pissed. Posted by: JohnQC 2007-09-16 17:57 She needs to send Murtha over to asses whether to replace the damage with Clinton (Missile Technology supplied to China by Bill) assistance or to send Harry Reid over to build a Syrian Las Vegas in that desert. |
| Posted by: Mad Eye Pholuter1361 2007-09-16 18:32 |
| #22 I wish we coulda pinned the intel on the lovable dwarf Kucinich while he was there |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-09-16 18:12 |
| #21 Nancy Pelosi is going to be pissed. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-09-16 17:57 |
| #20 Carrying on in the illustrious tradition of Soviet/Russian weapons/defense systems in the hands of Arab/Muslim idiots. Russia got the money and Syria got the shaft. After so many years you'd think they'd learn. It's like Lucy and Charlie Brown with the football. Every single autumn Lucy assures Charlie Brown that she will hold it steady so this year he really is going to kick that ball. But somehow it just never works out that way. Achmadinutjob, are you listening? |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque6305 2007-09-16 17:55 |
| #19 1- Would/could the Israelis have done this if Iraq's western desert were still available as a SCUD launching platform? 2- Where's Islamic Rage Boy when you really need him? |
| Posted by: Matt 2007-09-16 11:36 |
| #18 I'd sure like to know how the NorKs intended to explain away the disappearance of whatever nuclear material this was. Uranium? Test equipment? A bomb chassis that had proven itself next to worthless but might be great material to learn from? Why would the NORKS or the Syrians, for that matter, explain anything? Deny, deny, deny. Which is fine, if we bomb, bomb, bomb when we have actionable intel about sufficiently threatening targets. Or if we facilitate work accidents at the site - tragic, but these things happen .... In this case, whatever the target held, it was deemed critical to take out and either the Israelis couldn't do so more surreptitiously or they wanted to make a very public point. Or both. |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-09-16 10:47 |
| #17 From Daily Pundit: As everyone else is saying; assuming this is true, itÂ’s pretty damned amazing. The thing that gets me is IsraelÂ’s seeming ability to shut down the Syrian air defenses. The other thing that gets me is that even Ehud Olmert gets it. Chinless ophthalmologists and short, apocalyptic Islamist religious fanatics should not be allowed to play with nukes. Again, assuming this is true, itÂ’s real nice to see that Israel still has the biggest balls on the block. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-09-16 10:38 |
| #16 "SyriaÂ’s formidable air defences" That's a laugh - formidable according to whom? Again, the leftist dictator-ass-kissing MSM carries water for murderers, while Baby Asshat changes his drawers. (For those not acquainted with the expression, "drawers" is a Southern word for his undie-poos.) |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-09-16 10:15 |
| #15 On the ground, SyriaÂ’s formidable air defences went dead. This is what peaks my interest. Went dead? How? Inside mole? EMP device? Took out one radar that tied miles of anti-air network? Whatever it was worked to perfection and didn't alarm the Syrians to scramble their fighters. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-09-16 09:43 |
| #14 Why would the NorKs even feel the need to comment on this operation? Well, if someone blew up one or our cement shipments wouldn't you expect our State Department to react? |
| Posted by: Captain Lewis 2007-09-16 08:19 |
| #13 Let's stick to the original Syrian cover story: the IAF ditched bombs in the desert. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2007-09-16 07:37 |
| #12 I'm just waiting for the leak on whether a mini tactical nuke buster was used, for that "Big Hole In The Desert", Damn, purdy tough tek talk. I'll bet they used the crop circles on it. |
| Posted by: Thomas Woof 2007-09-16 05:03 |
| #11 Here is the NorK reaction to Israel's successful strike: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3448829,00.html North Korea commented on the incident Tuesday, calling it a "dangerous provocation", Chinese News Agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday. "This is a very dangerous provocation little short of wantonly violating the sovereignty of Syria and seriously harassing the regional peace and security," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea strongly denounces the above-said intrusion and extends full support and solidarity to the Syrian people in their just cause to defend the national security and the regional peace." Why would the NorKs even feel the need to comment on this operation? Could it be that they are miffed that their shipments were destroyed? Awww, how sad for them! |
| Posted by: Thrineng Munster6911 2007-09-16 03:41 |
| #10 I would just like to take this chance to thank the liberals in the US government who have voted to stifle an anti-missile defense. We can't tell you how much we appreciate it. If true, I'd sure like to know how the NorKs intended to explain away the disappearance of whatever nuclear material this was. Uranium? Test equipment? A bomb chassis that had proven itself next to worthless but might be great material to learn from? |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-09-16 03:00 |
| #9 Heh.™ Double Heh.™ Heh.™ |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-09-16 01:08 |
| #8 'Moose', that makes it clear why US Intelligence allowed the Nork's shipment to reach Syria; that would allow the Norks 'room' for plausible deniability preventing a pullout from the 6 party talks! Israel scored it's second successful attack against a potential nuclear face off, and the long arm of The Mossad lead the way. The Key lied with Israel waiting patiently for three criteria to come to a focal point for the operation; namely; 1) placement of ground assets 2) nesting of the nuclear material to sufficient position for destuction, 3) adequate diversion for fighter interception and extraction w/ enemy communications failure! I'm just waiting for the leak on whether a mini tactical nuke buster was used, for that "Big Hole In The Desert", however this might be suppressed by those concerned by reaction of the 'arab street'! In any event, it would be prudent for Israel to vamp up security (even more so) around Dimona to ward off that 'eye for an eye' Syria is threatening. |
| Posted by: smn 2007-09-16 01:03 |
| #7 Besoeker, I believe that this particular route is spent. It will be double-guarded fo some time. (...to the detriment of other routes through Syria ;-)) |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-09-16 00:26 |
| #6 If this was an effort of the Norks to secrete equipment and material, it would be confirmed if they huffily announce that they are breaking off talks and are going to go back into the nuclear business. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-09-16 00:23 |
| #5 Damn pity that Ehud Barak was not the MoD in the time of Hizbollah war. He seems to be the right man for the job. I also like the tight security envelope. Funny how Syrians are tightlipped about the affair, too. Their predicament is losing face. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2007-09-16 00:19 |
| #4 Heh.™ |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-09-16 00:15 |
| #3 Appears tactical strike corridors to Tehran have now been re-validated. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2007-09-16 00:15 |
| #2 And you've got to wonder, that if Syria's border with Iraq is that wide open to infiltration from west to east, if they made it just as open from east to west. Revenge is a dish best served cold. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-09-16 00:06 |
| #1 Looks like there could be some fallout from this. (rimshot) |
| Posted by: Phinater Thraviger 2007-09-16 00:05 |