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| Iraq |
| Syria Opens Border |
| 2003-03-27 |
| From Stratfore: No Link - Need Subscription Update: Syria Opens Borders Mar 28, 2003 - 0212 GMT A report that Syria will open its borders to Syrians who wish to fight alongside Iraqi forces comes on the same day that Syria's highest religious authority, Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, called on Muslims to conduct suicide missions against Western forces in the region. The Syrian government to this point had tried to dissuade volunteers from carrying out attacks and had closed the border with Iraq, though there were reports that some people were sneaking across or bribing border guards. This latest report indicates the government has made the decision to open the border. |
| Posted by:Scott Ross |
| #11 Any bets on how long a plane popping onto the AWACS screens unannounced would last? |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-03-28 00:40:14 |
| #10 I think the agonist has a rumor that Saddam and Aziz' families are in Syria and Saddam has a plane ready and waiting to move out. |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-03-28 00:16:54 |
| #9 Hey might as well fight your inevitable war on someone elses turf.Bring on diaper brigade Two.If were lucky maybe some frenchies will join forces also. |
| Posted by: Brew 2003-03-27 22:28:49 |
| #8 It is safer for Syria to provide an outlet into the waiting arms of the 3rd Inf and 101st Airborne. However, the real question is whether once they give a green light they can keep the Hezbollah from engaging Israel? |
| Posted by: Doug De Bono 2003-03-27 22:05:46 |
| #7 Taking a more cynical view: Syria knows Iraq is losing. Syria knows that the last busload of wanna-be Feydaheen got met by a missle from an American F-16 on Iraqi terriroty. Syria knows it will have to stop acting up once the Coalition takes Iraq down, or else they become the next target. So how to get rid of the troublemakers who would push the government into conflict with the US? Hmm, how about letting them take busses over to Iraq to let the US burn the trash for him? Let the borders be "open" but have your border guards report the time, vehicle, and number of people headed in. And do that on an open frequency where you know the US NSA is listening. And watch your problems disappear. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2003-03-27 21:37:33 |
| #6 this also from Stratfore on the weirdness of the Syrians- edited tosave space Summary The Syrian government may be shifting its heretofore passive position concerning the war against Iraq, placing mounting emphasis on anti-war rhetoric and even picking diplomatic spats with other Arab states. Although Damascus' motivations are unclear, given the heightened tensions in the region, the consequences could be dear. Analysis Syria has demonstrated strange behavior and an aggressively anti-war stance in recent days -- with officials taking pot shots at Egypt and allegedly allowing busloads of Syrians to head to Iraq to fight against U.S. and British forces. On March 27, the country's most senior mufti called for suicide strikes against allied forces in Iraq, and Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview with a Lebanese daily that the country would not wait until it becomes the next U.S. target. Stratfor has written extensively on the Syrian position regarding the war in Iraq. Until recently, Damascus has shown passive acceptance of military action there: Its United Nations delegate voted in favor of Security Council Resolution 1441 and, more important, Syria has maintained behind-the-scenes dialogue with the United States despite rhetoric condemning U.S. war plans. Now Damascus seems to be changing that position. Rather than showing quiet acceptance and passivity, it is actively encouraging anti-war activity and sentiment. The question is why. The government's motivations remain unclear: They could be tied to internal unrest, which Assad is trying to direct it outward. However, if so, Damascus is taking a very real risk not just of alienating Washington but of being labeled an Iraqi ally and therefore a legitimate war target. The Bush administration so far has kept silent on Syria's hostile rhetoric, but it will not be able to remain so if Damascus takes more serious steps toward supporting Iraq. Another motivation for the recent behavior might be that Damascus fears U.S. attacks against suspected Syrian weapons of mass destruction (WMD) assets. "Stray" missiles have been hitting southwestern Iran, and Syria might fear that it too could be a target of "stray" coalition bombs. But suspected chemical weapons plants are near Aleppo, Damascus and Homs, nowhere near the Syria-Iraq border. Moreover, Iran and Saudi Arabia likely rank higher than Syria on the U.S. hit list, given that both are tied much more closely to al Qaeda and Tehran's nuclear program is thought to be more advanced even than Iraq's. Finally, Damascus realizes that if it enters the U.S.-Iraq war on the side of Baghdad, Israel is likely to want to step in. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could not tolerate any chance of an Iraqi-Syrian victory, however slim, and would be unwilling to sit on the sidelines at that point. There is no evidence to suggest that the Syrian military is about to get involved in the fight in Iraq -- but the government in Damascus is acting bizarrely, and that is bound to impact Syrian military actions. |
| Posted by: scott 2003-03-27 21:26:26 |
| #5 I say please open the borders. Wanna fight for Saddam? No problem, come on in. There's plenty of dirt. We'll find a place to bury your ass. |
| Posted by: Mark 2003-03-27 21:25:50 |
| #4 It is a long, long drive from the Syrian border to Baghdad. Better just stay in Syria and trash a McDonald's. No Warthogs in Syria. Yet. |
| Posted by: nordic 2003-03-27 21:23:16 |
| #3 I've been wondering which of the three remaining largest supporters of terroism was next, Iran, Syria or the House of Sa'ud. Looks like we just might have a volunteer. I would be intersted in buying a square in the office pool on just how long Syria stands up between Israel and the US, think I'll put my dollar on the 32 minute square. |
| Posted by: Peter 2003-03-27 21:14:52 |
| #2 This could be a great way for Syria to rid itself of extremists. In a post Saddam world, a Syrian government forced to deal with the new reality will be much more stable without them. From several other reports, it also looks like Hezbollah and Al Queda troops (at least the cannon fodder types) are also converging on Baghdad. This could be good news on the terrorism front. |
| Posted by: Dave 2003-03-27 21:13:21 |
| #1 Just can't leave well-enough alone, can you? This one the Israelis get in on, I bet. |
| Posted by: Chuck 2003-03-27 21:06:46 |