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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syria pushing Palestinian battalions into Lebanon
2005-09-28
DEBKAfile Exclusive: Syria is pushing complete Palestinian battalions with their commands and weapons into Lebanon in the largest military movement since Syrian troops’ May exit. DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources report the men are taken out of refugee camps near Damascus by Syrian intelligence agents and loaded on Lebanese civilian trucks hired by the Syrian army. In Lebanon, half are destined for the southern port town of Sidon and the rest for the Beqaa Valley. The estimated 1,200-1,500 men are operatives of Hamas, the Popular Front, the Democratic Front and the Abu Mussa splinter faction.
Moving their proxies in to threaten Lebanon?
Just reminding everyone who's still in charge ...
Posted by:Steve

#7  It may be that baby Assad is miffed that Lebanon's Hizbollah isn't taking directions very well and baby Assad thinks they need new motivation.

A gun points in both directions.
Posted by: mhw   2005-09-28 16:14  

#6  JP:(Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev) Boim responded to a report leaked to Israel Radio by Palestinian sources on Wednesday, that Syrian President Bashar Assad met with representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Damascus on September 10 and asked them to increase their terror attacks against Israeli targets. According to the report, Assad told the Palestinian terror groups at the meeting that they had absolute freedom of action in attacking Israel. Assad was quoted as saying, "Syria is under siege. We are under international pressure. They're hounding us because of what's happening in Iraq and the investigation of the assassination of [former prime minister] Rafik Hariri in Lebanon. Do what you must in the territories. Draw fire away from us."
Posted by: Steve   2005-09-28 13:46  

#5  I would go with the first hunch, that being the Syrians don't want them any more than anybody else.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-09-28 13:33  

#4  
Get the Lebanese outta Lebanon and there will be peace...
Posted by: macofromoc   2005-09-28 11:08  

#3  Or else its just Debka.

Lebanon and Syria are right in their backyard, they are normally correct on these matters. It's when they try to go further afield, say Iraq and Saudi, that they often fall flat.
Posted by: Steve   2005-09-28 10:36  

#2  preparing for open war. A desperate move by the Syrian regime, with a UN report about to come blaming top figures in the regime for Hariris death, with the lebanese increasingly fingering the Lebanese security elements that contain the leave behind Syrian intel thats booming top Lebanese figures, folks are choosing sides. After the report, its possible the west, including France, will support the new Lebanese govt in taking on Hezbollah, the last real Syrian ally in Lebanon.

The Pal battalions would represent reinforcements for Hezb in this renewed civil war.

Or else its just Debka.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2005-09-28 10:12  

#1  More likely, just takin' out the trash...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2005-09-28 09:41  

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