Israeli jets 'strike near Damascus'

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.

[ggold]

Show me a country anywhere in the Middle East that launches military attacks on its neighbours without warning?

Show me a country in the Middle East with an unstable government and nuclear missiles?

Iran

[ggold]

I seriously doubt that this OP was really intended to keep the Jew/Arab hostility on the front burner. I believe it is about Israel giving ISIL air support against the Assad govt? After all, Israel should be an ISIL enemy. It does seem like this is really about the road to Moscow with both of Russia's Middle Eastern allies standing in the way.

Then you will need to demonstrate that the targets are in any way relevant to "giving ISIL air support".

No fighting units of Assad's armed forces were attacked, no airplanes destroyed. Not really even that close to areas where main fighting between IS and Assad's forces is carried out.

The current stand of Israel regarding the Syrian mess could be summed as "best of luck to all participants, carry on the good work". As long as non of it spills over or develops to be a direct threat, Israel's interest is to not get involved in any meaningful way. To date, IS does not pose an immediate threat - Hezbollah does.

while there is no liking for Assad in Israel. He is the preferred ruler in their eyes. Only because he had some control over the country. In fact if anything the US lead coalition against ISIL Is doing more to support his regime than they would care to admit. It may even transpire that with their help he will gain control over Syria in the not to distant future.

[mitsubishi]

Has anybody given any thought to the idea this tap on the head in Damascus could also be a tacit warning to ISIS that they might not be as safe in Raqqa as they presently imagine?

A new line in the sand just might have been drawn. This time by the IAF.

I think it's more along the lines of ISIS being possibly kindred to Israel so Israel wants to help ISIS out.

[Seastallion]

So, when is Israel going to re-name their "defence" force to the Israeli Attack Force or the Israeli Aggression Force (IAF)?

Does your definition of defense mean sitting tight and only reacting after you've been squarely punched in the face?

Does your definition of defense mean illegally entering your neighbour's place, whacking him (and any of his children that happen to be around) over the head with a big stick, because you heard a rumour that he might be putting on a knuckle duster, and that he might come to your place and punch you?

No, but that's your alleged metaphor, not the actual situation. As far as I am aware, there were no children whacked in these attacks. There were reports of Hezbollah casualties, though. Also, I do not believe that Israel would mount an attack of this sort based on "rumor", or that the targets were random.

There were persistent attempts by Hezbollah to bolster and upgrade their weapons systems, usually supplied by either Iran or Syria. There were persistent efforts by Israel to thwart these actions whenever possible.

There are times when taking action at the face of imminent threat, or cutting a threat at the bud are justified. This is one of them.

You appear to have more information than the news article informs us.

[Morch]

Does your definition of defense mean sitting tight and only reacting after you've been squarely punched in the face?

Does your definition of defense mean illegally entering your neighbour's place, whacking him (and any of his children that happen to be around) over the head with a big stick, because you heard a rumour that he might be putting on a knuckle duster, and that he might come to your place and punch you?

No, but that's your alleged metaphor, not the actual situation. As far as I am aware, there were no children whacked in these attacks. There were reports of Hezbollah casualties, though. Also, I do not believe that Israel would mount an attack of this sort based on "rumor", or that the targets were random.

There were persistent attempts by Hezbollah to bolster and upgrade their weapons systems, usually supplied by either Iran or Syria. There were persistent efforts by Israel to thwart these actions whenever possible.

There are times when taking action at the face of imminent threat, or cutting a threat at the bud are justified. This is one of them.

You appear to have more information than the news article informs us.

The OP was an initial report. Since then there were many subsequent reports and analysis available regarding the attacks, targets and possible aims, which appeared on various media outlets.

Details regarding previous attacks, weapons shipments to Hezbollah, Iran's and Syria's involvement, were all extensively published in the past.

[halloween]

"This afternoon, the Israeli enemy targeted two safe areas in Damascus province..........."

In Syria, safe is a relative term.

[Ulysses G.]

Has anybody given any thought to the idea this tap on the head in Damascus could also be a tacit warning to ISIS that they might not be as safe in Raqqa as they presently imagine?

A new line in the sand just might have been drawn. This time by the IAF.

I think it's more along the lines of ISIS being possibly kindred to Israel so Israel wants to help ISIS out.

You mean because they are all fundamentalist Muslims? You need to do some studying.

[Exsexyman]

Show me a country anywhere in the Middle East that launches military attacks on its neighbours without warning?

Show me a country in the Middle East with an unstable government and nuclear missiles?

Iran

Iran does not have nuclear missiles,and is not anywhere near having them. Even the CIA acknowledge that fact. And when did Iran launch an attack on it's neighbours without warning? Stop telling lies.

[ggold]

Show me a country anywhere in the Middle East that launches military attacks on its neighbours without warning?

Show me a country in the Middle East with an unstable government and nuclear missiles?

Iran

Iran does not have nuclear missiles,and is not anywhere near having them. Even the CIA acknowledge that fact. And when did Iran launch an attack on it's neighbours without warning? Stop telling lies.

the CIA know nothing, there is as good a chance they do have nukes. Iran a couple days ago attacked positions in Iraq belonging to ISIS, do you think they told anyone they were going to do that?

[Ulysses G.]

Iran does not have nuclear missiles,and is not anywhere near having them. Even the CIA acknowledge that fact. And when did ran launch an attack on it's neighbours without warning?

The are working on nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles and are not far off. They have launched many attack on their neighbors without warning, using terrorist groups under their control.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[tw25rw]

Lets hope this provocation does not enrage the greater arab world

They've been doing it for years and no one did anything.

Hezbollah are Shia and protecting Assad, so they won't care.

[tw25rw]

So, when is Israel going to re-name their "defence" force to the Israeli Attack Force or the Israeli Aggression Force (IAF)?

Let me see now... what will you have done if you knew that your neighbour, who hate your guts

and bent on killing you and your family, is getting a gun from his friend to come around later

and kill you and all you family while you're a sleeping? would you sit idle and do nothing?

run away and hide? of go out and pre-empt this aggression act before it's too late?......

Perhaps you shouldn't be sleeping in the house stolen from your neighbor in the first place. Israel should give back the Golan Heights to Syria.

Israel and Syria are at war. Why would they hand it back?

[Lissos]

Briefly attending the original topic for a moment, the predictable 'outrage' about Israel making these selective strikes once again brings to mind that line from the movie apocalypse now - "Charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500". It shouldn't have escaped anyone's notice that Syria is a playground for multiple states around the world, arming and funding their favoured Islamists, arming and advising the Ba'athists, arming militias deemed to be 'moderate', etc etc. Add to this the gruesome executions of captives, and the outrage about Israel swatting a few flies occasionally, hardly carries any weight. Nobody is ideal for Israel over in Syria at the moment, but it is aware that Hezbollah see Syria as an opportunity in various ways. Eradicating Hezbollah would not be in Israel's interest right now either, as it is fighting the Sunni Islamists. I would guess that Israel is constantly juggling the pros and cons of everything it does (or doesn't do) in regard to that neighbour of itself right now.

[Chicog]

Hezbollah see Syria as an opportunity in various ways.

I think right now Hezbollah will be seeing Syria as a threat.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11354038/Islamic-State-fighters-mass-on-Lebanon-border-and-threaten-to-launch-attacks-across-it.html

Edited January 20, 2015 by Chicog

[H1w4yR1da]

So, when is Israel going to re-name their "defence" force to the Israeli Attack Force or the Israeli Aggression Force (IAF)?

Haven't you heard attack is the best form of defence?

Go Jew Boys!

Iran does not have nuclear missiles,and is not anywhere near having them. Even the CIA acknowledge that fact. And when did Iran launch an attack on it's neighbours without warning? Stop telling lies.

They sponsor terrorist groups to do the attacking for them.

Perhaps you shouldn't be sleeping in the house stolen from your neighbor in the first place. Israel should give back the Golan Heights to Syria.

Israel and Syria are at war. Why would they hand it back?

Exactly! To the victor the spoils. Edited January 20, 2015 by H1w4yR1da