INVADING SYRIA: NOT IF BUT WHEN

Think the neo-conservatives who dominate White House foreign policy have learned their lesson from the quagmire in Iraq? Think again. From the Villiage Voice:

The Widening Crusade

In his new book, Winning Modern Wars, retired general Wesley Clark, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, offered a window into the Bush serial-war planning. He writes that serious planning for the Iraq war had already begun only two months after the 9-11 attack, and adds:

"As I went back through the Pentagon in November 2001, one of the senior military staff officers had time for a chat. Yes, we were still on track for going against Iraq, he said. But there was more. This was being discussed as part of a five-year campaign plan, he said, and there were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan. . . . I left the Pentagon that afternoon deeply concerned."

A five-year military campaign. Seven countries. How far has the White House taken this plan? And how long can the president keep the nation in the dark, emerging from his White House cocoon only to speak to us in slogans and the sterile language of pep rallies?

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And from Counterpunch:

Israel's Raid on Syria
Stage Four in the Terror War

Expect the charges against Syria to proliferate; Haaretz reports that there are $3 billion in Iraqi assets in Syrian government-owned banks that may be "financing terror." And the saber rattling, both from Israel (which threatens another strike), and U.S. officials. On October 14, super-hawk, Defense Policy Board member, and member of Jerusalem Post board of directors Richard Perle told an applauding audience of Jewish and Christian "analysts and politicians opposed to conceding a Palestinian state" that he was "happy to see the message [that] was delivered to Syria by the Israeli air force, and I hope it is the first of many such messages." (Repeat: he is happy about Israel bombing Syria, and hopes Israel sends many more such messages! And this warmongering, habitual prevaricator and high-profile Iraq war advocate regularly has the president's ear.) Perle was quoted the next day in the Jerusalem Post as stating: "President Bush transformed the American approach to terrorism on Sept. 11, 2001, when he said he will not distinguish between terrorists and the states who harbor them. I was happy to see that Israel has now [sic] taken a similar step in responding to acts of terror that originate in Lebanese territory by going to the rulers of Lebanon in Damascus." When asked whether this would include possible U.S. military action against Syria, he said: "Everything's possible," adding that despite heavy commitments elsewhere, it would be easy to commit U.S. forces to Syria too, because "Syria is militarily very weak."

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The bloodthirsty neo-cons are down but not out. They still whisper their version of reality into our President's ear. They still control the US military. They still encourage the "man of peace" and warrior-leader of Israel, Ariel Sharon, to continue his campaign of violence against Palestine and now Syria. In short, the puppet masters continue to hold all the important strings. I would not at all be surprised to see a US and Israeli invasion of Syria at some point next spring or summer. The eternal war does not simply endure; it expands.

Thanks to J. Orlin Grabbe for the links.

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