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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Intelligence official warns: Syria gearing up for confrontation |
| 2006-12-11 |
| Yossi Baidatz, head of the Research Division at the Military Intelligence Branch, told the cabinet Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad was working on two different fronts simultaneously – the diplomatic and the military one. "On the one hand, he (Assad) doesn't rule out the possibility of a diplomatic settlement with Israel, but on the other hand he is preparing his forces for a military confrontation, by enhancing the production of long-range missiles and moving antitank missiles close to the Golan Heights border. From his point of view, the two do not contradict each other," Baidatz explained. During his briefing, Baidatz said that Damascus was still involved in developments in Lebanon , and that the country was concerned regarding the international tribunal on former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's murder. Baidatz stated that the Syrian President has been conducting intensive diplomatic negotiations in the last two weeks, in hope of capitalizing on what he believes is an international opening for talks. The senior official has also referred to the Palestinian and the Lebanese arena and the Iranian issue. Speaking of Iran, Baidatz said that Tehran was preparing for December 25, at which time the UN Security Council is set to decide whether to impose sanctions on Iran . |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 The authors are either crazy, delusional, or in the pocket of outfits like the Saudis. I take all the above, with an emphasis on No. 3. From an email forwarded to me (no source, so keep critical, I guess)... : The Baker-Saudi Arabia Connection * In the past few years, Baker Botts--which employs about 700 lawyers, has had annual revenues of about $365 million and operates offices in Austin, Baku, Dallas, London, Moscow, New York, Riyadh and Washington, DC. * In 2005, the firm expanded its presence in the region by opening an office in Dubai to complement the existing office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. * As Secretary of State in the first Bush Administration, Baker was a regular visitor to the House of Saud. * George H.W. Bush and Baker helped convince their pal and hunting buddy Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the longtime Saudi ambassador to the United States to invest in their companies. * When two of the most powerful members of the House of Saud--the Saudi defense minister, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and his brother, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the governor of Riyadh--needed lawyers to defend them against a lawsuit brought against them and other Saudis by survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sultan and Salman hired Baker Botts. * The Baker Botts legal team has openly acknowledged in their brief that Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has for the past 16 years approved regular payments of about $266,000 a year to the International Islamic Relief Organization- a large Saudi charity whose U.S. offices were last year raided by federal agents. * George H.W. Bush met James Baker on the tennis courts at the Houston Country Club in the 1950s. * On June 6, 1962, when he was 15 years old George W. Bush went to work in the mailroom of Houston's oldest and most prestigious law firm, Baker Botts. Sources: The Nation, BakerBotts.com, Newsweek |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-12-11 12:48 |
| #5 Right on 5089---There are clearly no consequences for the actions of the MMs and Syria, so they are on a roll. And the Baker led ISG Report wants negotiation with these terror enablers. The authors are either crazy, delusional, or in the pocket of outfits like the Saudis. I take all the above, with an emphasis on No. 3. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2006-12-11 11:35 |
| #4 Actually, not also invading Iran and Syria played into Iran and Syria's hands. From the little I remember reading here after the ousting of sammy, the MM and bashir boy when crapping their pants. But, since then : - their meddling in iraq affairs has not been punished (starting with the WMD issue and syria, or iranian shiite powerplays), - their quasi-open "proxy" warfare with the USA has not been punished, - their terror enabling has not been punished, their arm race (including the nuke issue) has not been punished, - iran's increasingly aggressive and warmongering rethoric has not been punished, - iran's bullying and misleading of the West and forging of anti-western alliances have not been punished, not even diplomatically. As a result, they really feel they are WINNING, being emboldened by all these perceived victories, and the weakness of their foes. Even Israel looks ripe for plucking, after the disastrous perception of the summer war, whatever might have been the actual consequences for the hizbollah. Add the MM's eschatological worldview to this perception of being on the verge of chasing the USA out of the ME and building their regional empire, of blackmailing and intimidating EUrope into submission (with the growing |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-12-11 10:09 |
| #3 Actually, not also invading Iran and Syria played into Iran and Syria's hands. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2006-12-11 09:24 |
| #2 Invading Iraq played into Irans hands!!!!Big mistake imo. |
| Posted by: Ebbolump Glomotle9608 2006-12-11 05:55 |
| #1 It is scandalous to find that countries - especially enemy states - are stronger now than were they on 9-11. We never ask ourselves, what did we do to let this happen? |
| Posted by: Sneaze Shaiting3550 2006-12-11 00:48 |