NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3664811.stm

So, let's hear your guesses. Who do you think is behind it? Al-Qaeda? The Kurds? New uprising of the Muslim Brotherhood? Any other versions?

Nothing yet on CNN
Al Jazeera is running it on a scroll as a breaking story: http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage
'BREAKING NEWS: Al Jazeera TV reports blasts and heavy shooting in Syrian capital, Damascus.'

I think Al Qaeda or a cell of theirs is probably a pretty good guess. I have a cynical nature though.. I wonder why it's not being reported on the major networks.. hmmm.. maybe the fight in Falluja is just dominating at the moment.. will stay tuned....

It's up on CNN now, but it's not getting big coverage. Still the best source on this (as on most things) is www.bbc.com.

Al Jazeera says they were "Foreign Special Forces" http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=1715
CNN says terrorists.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/27/syria/index.html
BBC says bombers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3664811.stm
SANA (Syrian source) says terrorists.
http://www.sana-syria.com/english/mainEn.htm
Haaretz and Debka (Israeli sources) say Al Qaeda.
http://debka.com/
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/420969.html

Others are also pointing at Al Qaeda.

Al Jazeera says they were "Foreign Special Forces" http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=1715
CNN says terrorists.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/27/syria/index.html
BBC says bombers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3664811.stm
SANA (Syrian source) says terrorists.
http://www.sana-syria.com/english/mainEn.htm
Haaretz and Debka (Israeli sources) say Al Qaeda.
http://debka.com/
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/420969.html

Others are also pointing at Al Qaeda.

We'll just have to wait for the dust to settle. It may be a little knee jerk to start throwing al Qaeda into the middle of this. It may well be them or some other group.

:shock:

Blackwater...

Blackwater...
Are you really saying that an American mercenary outfit has attacked a Canadian UN building in Syria? Or have I completely misunderstood? :?

Blackwater...
Are you really saying that an American mercenary outfit has attacked a Canadian UN building in Syria? Or have I completely misunderstood? :? eh? its ridiculous im afraid; keep in mind that blackwater usa is a very popular target for conspiracy theorists(sp?)

Al Jazeera says they were "Foreign Special Forces" http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=1715
CNN says terrorists.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/27/syria/index.html
BBC says bombers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3664811.stm
SANA (Syrian source) says terrorists.
http://www.sana-syria.com/english/mainEn.htm
Haaretz and Debka (Israeli sources) say Al Qaeda.
http://debka.com/
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/420969.html

Others are also pointing at Al Qaeda.

We'll just have to wait for the dust to settle. It may be a little knee jerk to start throwing al Qaeda into the middle of this. It may well be them or some other group.

:shock:

Yep. (Note: Just to clarify, I did not say it was AQ, just that several sources are pointing that way. :) )

Al Jazeera says they were "Foreign Special Forces" http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_id=1715
CNN says terrorists.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/04/27/syria/index.html
BBC says bombers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3664811.stm
SANA (Syrian source) says terrorists.
http://www.sana-syria.com/english/mainEn.htm
Haaretz and Debka (Israeli sources) say Al Qaeda.
http://debka.com/
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/420969.html

Others are also pointing at Al Qaeda.
Well, if Debka says Al-Qaeda, it probably is Al-Qaeda.

For those not in the know, Debka has a reputation of the place to which Israeli secret services leak the information they want to make public in an unofficial way.

Well, if Debka says Al-Qaeda, it probably is Al-Qaeda.

For those not in the know, Debka has a reputation of the place to which Israeli secret services leak the information they want to make public in an unofficial way.

I*ve found one should be a little cautious with Debka. Sometimes they are spot on, and sometimes way off. And links to Israeli intelligence also makes them a little suspect at times. They do get dis-information or biased information.
If Al Jazeera and Debka agree, thats a different story. ;)

Well, if Debka says Al-Qaeda, it probably is Al-Qaeda.

For those not in the know, Debka has a reputation of the place to which Israeli secret services leak the information they want to make public in an unofficial way.

I*ve found one should be a little cautious with Debka. Sometimes they are spot on, and sometimes way off. And links to Israeli intelligence also makes them a little suspect at times. They do get dis-information or biased information.
If Al Jazeera and Debka agree, thats a different story. ;)
True. If the Mossad wants to leak something through Debka, it may be true or it may be what they want you to think is true. Depends on the nature of information. But in this case, the truth will come out either way through other sources, so I don't think they had reasons to deliberately misinform.

Blackwater...
Are you really saying that an American mercenary outfit has attacked a Canadian UN building in Syria? Or have I completely misunderstood? :?

Just thinking...


Who has more to gain from turning Syria into a warzone, al-Qa'ida or Neo-Cons?


Either way, it was Neo-Cons who created al-Qa'ida so it really doesn't make much difference.

True, but I*m still not quite convinced.
The Al Jazeera article had an, mmm, interesting comment.
It is widely known coalition special forces based out of Iraq are in operation inside the Syrian side of the Iraqi border to stem the flow of foreign fighters. This incident is the first which has targeted the capital Damascus.

It might have been a three way fight: Delta or one of the new more secret black ops groups vs Al Qaeda vs Syrian Security.
Maybe unlikely, but an interesting possibilty...

Two possibilities for the why:

1. Terrorist elements are not satisified with Syria's efforts to destroy Israel.
2. Saddam's WMDs may be in Syria. Terrorists may be trying to destabilize the government so they can get their hands on the goods. If the government starts to come apart, the military protecting the WMDs stops getting paid, and they leave. ~ Michael.

True, but I*m still not quite convinced.
The Al Jazeera article had an, mmm, interesting comment.
It is widely known coalition special forces based out of Iraq are in operation inside the Syrian side of the Iraqi border to stem the flow of foreign fighters. This incident is the first which has targeted the capital Damascus.

It might have been a three way fight: Delta or one of the new more secret black ops groups vs Al Qaeda vs Syrian Security.
Maybe unlikely, but an interesting possibilty...


Bingo! -- only it isn't Delta or SEAL team 6 anymore, it's Blackwater!
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&u=/afp/20040410/pl_afp/us_iraq_congress&printer=1

1. Terrorist elements are not satisified with Syria's efforts to destroy Israel.
and why would al-Qa'ida be upset about that?



2. Saddam's WMDs may be in Syria. Terrorists may be trying to destabilize the government so they can get their hands on the goods. If the government starts to come apart, the military protecting the WMDs stops getting paid, and they leave. ~ Michael.

Yes, that is what the Administration will tell us next... http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/april/04_28_4.html

Perhaps (name of country with natural resources) has those WMDs -- we better invade just to be safe!

:roll: Saddam Hussein has no WMDs in Syria. Syria has its own, much better than Iraqi ones, and it has them perfectly legally. Why invent a conspiracy theory when you don't have to?

1. Terrorist elements are not satisified with Syria's efforts to destroy Israel.
and why would al-Qa'ida be upset about that?It may not be al-Qaida. It could be Hezbollah or some other conglomeration who want heavier attacks on Israel. But all radical Muslims I have heard of want the destruction of Israel and probably think, if they were in charge of this or that, they could destroy Israel. ~ Michael

:roll: Saddam Hussein has no WMDs in Syria. Syria has its own, much better than Iraqi ones, and it has them perfectly legally. Why invent a conspiracy theory when you don't have to?Then maybe the terrorists are trying to get to Syria's WMDs under the same destabilization strategy. ~ Michael.

Its not gettin big coverage because its in an unimportant part of the world and there very little to report.

If it Were in an Important part of the world, then they'd keep repeating it Ad nauseum

Bingo! -- only it isn't Delta or SEAL team 6 anymore, it's Blackwater!

More likely Task Force 20 (or what ever unit has replaced it).

Then maybe the terrorists are trying to get to Syria's WMDs under the same destabilization strategy. ~ Michael.
Well it's going to take them a while. Syria is hardly a failed state coming apart at the seams, like most of Central Asia and Africa. The government there has a pretty good grip on things.

:roll: Saddam Hussein has no WMDs in Syria. Syria has its own, much better than Iraqi ones, and it has them perfectly legally. Why invent a conspiracy theory when you don't have to?

This is correct! But here Isreal goes trying to tell America that Syria has Saddam's WMDs... now the Syrian government is being destabalized and -- Oh look, the coalition troops are already in Syria: I wonder if they'll rush in and start up "Operation: Syrian Freedom"

but just who were those "terrorist" and what did they have to gain from a coalition take-over of Syria?

This is how the Oil Busines works...

Fifty bucks says the US will somehow be blamed.

I wonder if they'll rush in and start up "Operation: Syrian Freedom"
They'd better not, unless they want their a*ses handed to them on a silver tray. Syria has fully 2/3 of the population of Iraq, and has not had quite as much in the way of all-consuming UN sanctions and constant bombing that Iraq had suffered for 12 years. No way in hell the US military could handle both without conscription, even if Israel offered to help out. And then you can say goodbye to the House of Saud and American energy security. Not to mention Iran having a thing or two to say about it. Invading Syria would be a really, really bad idea.

Fifty bucks says the US will somehow be blamed.Fifty dollars? Pfff...now if you were betting fifty euros... ~ Michael.

Piss on your Euro. I only bet greenbacks.

Now are you in or not?

Piss on your Euro. I only bet greenbacks. Now are you in or not?I don't gamble. ~ Michael.

Gambling money is a vice, granted. But gambling with life is a real rush. There's nothing like being strapped to a hospital bed, tubes running down your nose, and wondering if those pills were enough to do the trick.

But my question is this: If we go to an electronic currency, wouldn't that kill the fun of gambling?

Gambling money is a vice, granted. But gambling with life is a real rush. There's nothing like being strapped to a hospital bed, tubes running down your nose, and wondering if those pills were enough to do the trick.

But my question is this: If we go to an electronic currency, wouldn't that kill the fun of gambling?Gambling would still exist under electronic currency because the government would want to tax it. And since it would be electronic, it would be easier to collect the taxes. So there will probably be more gambling, not less. ~ Michael.

Ya, but when the cards fall and you've got the high pair, the bills feel much better than some damned LCD touch screen. It spoils the feel of that odd paper.

And when the cards fall and you've got a runt, some damned LCD touch screen just doesn't sting as much.

No way in hell the US military could handle both without conscription, even if Israel offered to help out. And then you can say goodbye to the House of Saud and American energy security. Not to mention Iran having a thing or two to say about it. Invading Syria would be a really, really bad idea.

and what makes you think that this isn't just what they want...
Congress must have a reason for their "draft" talk!

Ya, but when the cards fall and you've got the high pair, the bills feel much better than some damned LCD touch screen. It spoils the feel of that odd paper.

And when the cards fall and you've got a runt, some damned LCD touch screen just doesn't sting as much.Besides, who says electronic currency won't be exchangeable for casino chips as they are now? And scrip may be available only inside casinos, too, useless on the streets as currency. ~ Michael.

I swear your giving liberal thought a bad name with all your Draft insinuations.

Now I know how ridiculess Crackpot rightwing ideas get started.

First you go on and on about Blackwater yet at the same time you think they want to bring back the draft. It might happen, but not anytime soon. A couple of years at least.

Crap, someone already has implicated the US. I need to actually read these responses from time to time.

Now pay up Michael. And I won't accept Euros.

I swear your giving liberal thought a bad name with all your Draft insinuations.

Now I know how ridiculess Crackpot rightwing ideas get started.

I am confused, are you calling me "liberal" or "rightwing" ??
What do either of these things mean... perhaps you should think about that before carelessly labeling people.



First you go on and on about Blackwater yet at the same time you think they want to bring back the draft. It might happen, but not anytime soon. A couple of years at least.


Is a two years not "soon" -- maybe one year... perhaps 8 months would be "soon"?

http://www.vancouver.indymedia.org/news/2004/01/105146.php

Well at least the proposed draft is not being sexist or elitist anymore. Both women and university students would have equal opportunity to fight and die for their country.

Well at least the proposed draft is not being sexist or elitist anymore. Both women and university students would have equal opportunity to fight and die for their country.

Being "drafted" is a nice way of saying "enslaved by the military"

How's this for a reason - the invasion of Iraq has destabilised the whole of the Middle East and caused an upsurge in Islamic Fundamentalism and terrorism alike. I think it is also important to note that the attacks took place in a region that housed a number of western embassies.

Just speculating, it is of course impossible to know for sure.

Wasn't that draft proposal in Congress made by a Democratic senator from Nevada or something? I believe he made the proposal as a political point that these politicians might not be so reckless in going off to war if their sons and daughters stood a chance being on the front lines.

Here's another possibility: Saudi Arabia, Syria, and other places that used to harbor terrorists are now cracking down on terrorist rings before Bush decides he may have had enough with their regimes, too. At first, I thought terrorists were attacking these countries because they were easier to hit than U.S. targets. But if the regimes are breaking up terrorist rings so that the U.S. won't attack them, then the terrorists are trying to defend themselves. ~ Michael.

Well at least the proposed draft is not being sexist or elitist anymore. Both women and university students would have equal opportunity to fight and die for their country.

http://www.kucinich.us/statements/statement-042104.php

I will REVOLT if they draft my girlfriend!

Terrorists are behind it. Hands down. Doesn't matter who anymore, they're all out to get us. :shock:

Terrorists are behind it. Hands down. Doesn't matter who anymore, they're all out to get us. :shock:

Pentagon funded terrorism...

A good analysis from Jim Dunnigan (a source I find very reliable):

TERRORISM: Al Qaeda Returns to Its Original Agenda
http://www.strategypage.com//fyeo/qndguide/default.asp?target=urbang.htm

If there were any US forces involved, they would most likely be either Task Force 20, Task Force 56, or the like. There might be a small possiblitie that it could be CIA paramilitaries. It is almost 100% not going to be Blackwater or the like. The US objective would have been of Al Qaeda cell, probably operating against the Syrian government.

Syrian Explosions: Counter Insurgency Operation gone wrong or "Terrorist Band"?
Al-Jazeera - 28/04/2004 01:00:00 GMT (http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/conspiracy_theory/fullstory.asp?id=106)

An interesting article on this. To be taken with a grain of salt: even Al Jazeera lists it under conspiracy theories...