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Last update - 08:17 27/10/2008
ANALYSIS / U.S. takes page from Israel's book in Syria strike
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Those who anticipated an American bombing of Iran on the eve of the presidential elections or immediately after must for the moment be satisfied with a somewhat lesser replacement: the helicopter attack Sunday night in north-eastern Syria.

The central target of the attack, according to initial reports overnight, was a senior operative in the "global jihad" - the web of organizations connected to al-Qaida.


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he context, from an American perspective, is mainly Iraqi. This was a strike on those who have been causing them problems in their backyard and an attempt to gain stability in Iraq.

But there are also consequences for Israel.

The readiness of Bashar Assad to renew diplomatic negotiations with Israel a year ago with the help of Turkish mediators can be explained to a large extent by the hope in Damascus that it would enable them to become closer to Washington.

This didn't really happen (although Assad did derive an immediate dividend with his improved image in the Arabic world and a warming of relations with Europe.)

Although President Bush did not veto the Israel-Syria discussions, his administration remained very skeptical of the Syrian regime and continued to see Damascus as a part of the axis of evil.

The U.S. also refused to implement practical actions that would encourage the Syrians to make progress in negotiations.

Now it has become clear that the U.S. will not hesitate to attack terrorist targets within Syrian territory.

In this regard the Americans are not alone. Israel preceded them with the attack on the Dir a-Zour nuclear facility in September last year, not to mention a succession of mysterious incidents on Syrian soil, from the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh last February to the assassination of Brigadier General Mohammad Suleiman around two months ago.

The common denominator to all these operations is that nobody takes the Syrians seriously anymore, given the repeated violations of their sovereignty. It is doubtful the domestic security situation there has ever been this unstable.

The lack of stability in Syria adds to the already-tense situation between Israel and Lebanon. Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin said Sunday that weapons-smuggling from Syria to Hezbollah is continuing across the country.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israel is prepared to attack weapons convoys, on a background of Hezbollah efforts to equip itself with anti-aircraft missiles.

Before the attack the U.S. issued a warning. At a press conference last week a senior American commander in western Iraq warned that the situation is worsening on the Syrian border, while at the same time Saudi Arabia and Jordan did as the Americans asked and closed their borders with Iraq. This modus operandi is reminiscent of Israeli "targeted killings": an effective combination of intelligence and operation, with the use of aerial strikes accompanied by a commando force to confirm the operation's success.

However, it appears that the success of Sunday's operation will not cancel out the continued frustration of the U.S. in its struggle with al-Qaida and its allies. It's not just that the Taliban and its partners are retaking control in Afghanistan, but that the pursuit of Osama bin Laden remains crowned by failure, more than seven years after 9/11.

It is a sore point for the Bush administration. In the opening sketch of "Saturday Night Live" last week, George W. Bush (portrayed by comedian Will Ferrell) proudly exclaimed: "George Bush always gets his man", before adding, "save for one huge exception."


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  • Syria accuses U.S. of aiding Israel in strike on nuke facility
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      1.   Questions 03:48  |  David LG 27/10/08
      2.   #1 Answer...................................................... 04:19  |  Vittorio 27/10/08
      3.   US turns page on terrorist hit,run and deny everything trick 04:30  |  PETER SM 27/10/08
      4.   To Vittorio 05:02  |  David LG 27/10/08
      5.   The Bush Junta has made a last, desperate, attempt 05:16  |  Mark Lincoln 27/10/08
      6.   This isn`t analysis... 05:42  |  David Cohen 27/10/08
      7.   After 8 years of total failures, US is like a mad dog!! 06:03  |  Moise 27/10/08
      8.   #6, "unprecedentedly powerful hezbollah" 06:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      9.   #6, David Cohen, "near nuclear Iran" 07:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      10.   #5, Mark Lincoln 07:05  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      11.   # 5 to mark lincoln re: "war" 07:29  |  eric 27/10/08
      12.   A dumb attack that will not serve anybody, 07:31  |  Kris Lazar 27/10/08
      13.   #8, CPK, have you read haaretz on this subject? 08:03  |  VIPER 27/10/08
      14.   Playing It Safe. 08:16  |  Cool B 27/10/08
      15.   The solution to terror. 08:17  |  Jean Van Daem 27/10/08
      16.   Too many Chicken Littles.....Moises 08:19  |  Gregor 27/10/08
      17.   #9, viper 08:30  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      18.   Israel`s extra responsibliies 08:36  |  Shtarka 27/10/08
      19.   Gregor, the chicken is not the 1 who condamn injustice&agressions 08:56  |  moise 27/10/08
      20.   11 Eric - A Political Decision 09:03  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/10/08
      21.   Turning the Tables on Syria 09:07  |  Proud Israeli 27/10/08
      22.   Mr. G W Bush has used his last card 09:22  |  Adel 27/10/08
      23.   Precisely the paradign of the Great Satan-Little Satan DUO! 09:24  |  Ivar 27/10/08
      24.   Bush makes more sense than Obama! 09:56  |  NoToStupidRules 27/10/08
      25.   #120, Mark of Lewiston, absolutely not 10:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      26.   #17, CPK, yes she did, and then what? 10:16  |  VIPER 27/10/08
      27.   IF U.S. IMITATES ISRAEL, THEY WOULD KILLED 1000 SYRIAN CIVILIANS 10:39  |  Sam 27/10/08
      28.   America has always supported terrorism 11:32  |  Natallie Durson 27/10/08
      29.   Syria is in the middle of upgrading its military forces. 11:46  |  Dutch Dirk 27/10/08
      30.   Mark of Lewiston 12:42  |  Mark Lincoln 27/10/08
      31.   Durson #28 12:43  |  EZ 27/10/08
      32.   #25, Kohn, Why argue with these people? 12:46  |  dyinglikeflies 27/10/08
      33.   # 20 to mark lewiston re: acts of war 12:59  |  eric 27/10/08
      34.   Natallie Durson #28-`low tempo of violence` 13:16  |  examiner 27/10/08
      35.   Mark of Lewiston #20 Absolutely correct 13:19  |  examiner 27/10/08
      36.   You cannot understand Israel from a liberal perspective 13:52  |  Israeli citizen 27/10/08
      37.   sam #27 14:00  |  larry from delaware 27/10/08
      38.   Well, Cipora #10.... it could be an election tactic... 14:52  |  Esther 27/10/08
      39.   CJK # 25 America cannot control its own borders 15:42  |  American in NY 27/10/08
      40.   Should we still take Israel serious? 15:52  |  Fritz T. 27/10/08
      41.   #11 eric....he is definitely going to be blindsided 15:53  |  Lynn 27/10/08
      42.   # 20 Mark of Lewiston....These poor people who 15:58  |  Lynn 27/10/08
      43.   Attack on Syrian Civilians 16:13  |  Global Citizen 27/10/08
      44.   #41 you mean Assad Sr. killing 20,000 Syrian civials at Hom? 16:42  |  Truth providor 27/10/08
      45.   to larry from delaware - ISRAEL`s DELUSIONS OF DECENCY 17:01  |  Sam 27/10/08
      46.   Sorry #41, I meant #44 17:04  |  Truth Providor 27/10/08
      47.   eric, there`s no way Bush didn`t sign off on the attack... 17:11  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      48.   Hey Cipora, say Lebanon does the same thing... 17:38  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      49.   Now that the US has Syria`s attention 17:49  |  Jacob Blues 27/10/08
      50.   What this also may mean is that the US feels comfortable 17:51  |  Jacob Blues 27/10/08
      51.   Let`s assume that`s true Lynn... 18:10  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      52.   #33, eric, another excellent post 18:31  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      53.   BBSNews` idiotic analysis 18:32  |  Gee 27/10/08
      54.   #32, dyinglikefkies 18:33  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      55.   The arafat method 18:35  |  Dr Noam 27/10/08
      56.   #39, ANY 18:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      57.   Gee, guess what? Muslims I know don`t want to kill me... 19:20  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      58.   CJK # They fly in? Give me a break 19:37  |  American in NY 27/10/08
      59.   #51 BBS.... they took out a leader 19:40  |  Lynn 27/10/08
      60.   #43 Global Citizen...rather see dead US soldiers 19:43  |  Lynn 27/10/08
      61.   #57, ANY 19:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      62.   REPERCUSSIONS IN IRAQ 20:03  |  Arik Silverman 27/10/08
      63.   Durson is right for once 20:15  |  Arie 27/10/08
      64.   #62, well maybe 20:20  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      65.   Lynn, branch out from Fox News... 20:23  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      66.   CJK # 61 Your lack of logic or inability to see the real world 20:50  |  American in NY 27/10/08
      67.   Arik # 62 Yes! 20:59  |  American in NY 27/10/08
      68.   who cares about syria or hisb/iran, the only good terrorist is a 21:35  |  Jack be quick 27/10/08
      69.   BBSNews 65 21:36  |  ChanahS 27/10/08
      70.   BBSNews #57 Guess you don`t know too many then 21:56  |  Gee 27/10/08
      71.   #66, ANy, "as long as you refuse to apply logic" 22:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/10/08
      72.   to bbsnews post # 47 re: typical bsnews reporting 22:16  |  eric 27/10/08
      73.   # 52 thank you, cipora 22:19  |  eric 27/10/08
      74.   Gee on stupidity... 23:15  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      75.   Double backed 23:16  |  paul 27/10/08
      76.   Wrong eric... 23:33  |  BBSNews 27/10/08
      77.   eric # 5 01:54  |  American in NY 28/10/08
      78.   #59, LYN, who has invaded who here? 06:05  |  VIPER 28/10/08
      79.   #70 GEE ON BBS AND REALITY 06:12  |  VIPER 28/10/08
      80.   # 76 to bbs re: comprehension 07:01  |  eric 28/10/08
      81.   # 77 to american in ny re: "confusing" 08:21  |  eric 28/10/08
      82.   Syrian Vulnerability 10:50  |  JP 28/10/08
      83.   Not a War! 12:53  |  Sardaukar 28/10/08
      84.   eric #81 My take on it 14:33  |  American in NY 28/10/08
      85.   Sardaukar # 83 very good! 14:57  |  American in NY 28/10/08
      86.   CJK # 71 I know you hate logic 14:59  |  American in NY 28/10/08
      87.   Response to IVAR 18:55  |  Jennifer Castagna 28/10/08
      88.   Syria has the right NOT to respond ~:( 19:16  |  Middle East Guru 28/10/08
      89.   And eric admits the obvious... 20:35  |  BBSNews 28/10/08
      90.   eric a bit of trivia 21:43  |  American in NY 28/10/08
      91.   ERIC, makes his own laws then says he`s democratic 02:31  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      92.   #87, MID EAST GURU, selling out his country 02:36  |  VIPER 29/10/08
      93.   # 84 to american in ny re: assad 08:22  |  eric 29/10/08
      94.   eric # 93 regretting my lack of concept 15:20  |  American in NY 29/10/08
      95.   # 91 good point, viper 07:48  |  eric 30/10/08
      96.   #95, ERIC, and to reply 08:41  |  VIPER 31/10/08
      97.   the international community to put an end to this reckless Americ 17:47  |  SAUDIA ARABIA EAGLE 31/10/08
      98.   # 96 to viper re: the big bully (part2) 2nd try 07:09  |  eric 02/11/08
      99.   # 96 to viper re: the big bully (part1) 05:20  |  eric 03/11/08
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