Israeli jets 'strike near Damascus'

[Morch]

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?

[ggold]

I suppose it's better when obsessive "anti-Zionist" types clearly reveal their dark biases rather than put of a front of not having them!

The fact is the arabs are perpetrators of far worse ethnic cleansing of themselves, than anything that Israel can be accused of. But that by and large gets ignored in favour of attacking a democratic country. Even Syria has been allowed to massacre it's people with impunity. Now that ISIS is there that massacre is going to get worse, It has become a battle field for the west against the tyranny of Islam. Yet more civilians are being killed by Drone attacks that terrorists.

But that's OK according to the World! No need to shout about genocide even if it is happening! HYPOCRITES

[Morch]

Lets hope this provocation does not enrage the greater arab world

The provocation here is, in all probability, from the Iranian/Syrian/Hezbollah side. This attacks seem to be related to preventing arms transfer to Hezbollah from Syria. Whether Iranian sponsored or out of Syria's stocks is not germane.

Israel declared openly under which conditions it will conduct such attacks - transfer of advanced weapons systems, transfer of chemical weapons, retaliation against attack on Israel.

Asad is surely aware of this, and hard to imagine he was keen on supplying Hezbollah, only he is indebted to them (and to Iran) for standing by his side. Not very likely that Asad will retaliate, as he cannot afford to open a new front. Traditionally, Hezbollah do not retaliate after attacks on related targets in Syria, as this

could be interpreted as too much of an admission in Israel's claims.

Most of the Arab world got other things to worry about at the moment. Most of the Arab world is such a big fan of Hezbollah, Asad's regime or Iran.

Some Arab countries may release the usual condemnation, some may not even bother with it.

[Morch]

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.

Return to whom?

Have you checked who is in actual control of the on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights?

[konying]

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.

Return to whom?

Have you checked who is in actual control of the on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights?

Do you think he cares? He takes any opportunity to slack off Israel, no matter how ridiculous it may be

[Scott]

Off-topic, inflammatory posts and replies removed. There are still a lot of off-topic posts. I suggest posters get back on topic.

[Morch]

Lets hope this provocation does not enrage the greater arab world

The the Greater Arab World are probably cheering Israel on in the background. More and more their security interests coincide with the Jewish state.

Putting aside the "Greater Arab World", and focusing on the immediate countries involved - cannot imagine that the Lebanese

government is shedding much tears over this.

[Morch]

There is no such thing as the spoils of war in the 21^st century. We now have the Geneva Convention and international law. Times have moved on from Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun..but apparently not in the minds of Israeli apologists.

Israel obviously prefers land to peace.

Which is why Israel is a pariah state propped up solely by the US veto in UNSC.

Conveniently forgetting that Israel actually got standing peace treaties with two of its neighbors (Egypt and Jordan). One of

these treaties involved handing back a tract of land far larger than the Golan Heights.

Also, as the attack seems to be related to arms transfer concerning Hezbollah, the linkage to the Golan Heights is somewhat

tenuous.

[konying]

Lets hope this provocation does not enrage the greater arab world

The the Greater Arab World are probably cheering Israel on in the background. More and more their security interests coincide with the Jewish state.

Putting aside the "Greater Arab World", and focusing on the immediate countries involved - cannot imagine that the Lebanese

government is shedding much tears over this.

Little off topic.

Lebanese army and government is actually more in need of Israel now than ever, since Lebanon has been threatened by ISIS for capturing leaders wife and kid

[Morch]

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.

Those houses aren't standing any more, they were too flee infested. The Golan Heights are largely unpopulated it is a military buffer zone, and will not be given to the Syrians.

Not sure what you were getting at with "flee infested". The Golan Heights currently supports a population of 40,000-50,000 (larger numbers pre-1967) - not as unpopulated as some may think. As for the Golan Heights not being returned - currently not an option due to Syria's troubles, but even without it, as Israel officially annexed the Golan Heights it would take some serious effort to pass a counter vote. But then again, never say never - similar things were said about the Sinai peninsula.

[Seastallion]

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?......

and of course I would never ask myself what I had done to make my neighbour want to do that.

That's easy. Being Jewish. The Muslim and/or Arab world simply can't (openly) tolerate a proud strong Jewish state within what they think are their lands. Arabs and Muslims have the highest rates of racial Jew hatred of any demographic on the planet.

Why do you persist with this silly Jewish victim thing. You're obsessive about it. Israel, the state, is a state that commits crimes. That is what people condemn. That it is Jewish people running the state and carrying out the state's orders is not what the criticisers even think about. It is the state of Israel.

[ggt]

It is alarming the amount of anti-Israel verbiage in this thread...

Show me a country that would not do a preemptive airstrike on another country whose motivation is to destroy their people...

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations...has been left to pretty much fend for itself...understands the odds are stacked against them...and act accordingly to preserve their culture...

The land dispute goes back for centuries...non of us were there so do not even go there...

I know...all you Arab sympathizers...and Jew haters...give me your best shot...

[dexterm]

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.

Return to whom?

Have you checked who is in actual control of the on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights?

Your argument is disingenuous.

The civil war in Syria only started 3 years ago. Israel had 44 years prior to that to return land stolen from Syria in 1967 in contravention of UN resolutions 242 and 497.

[dexterm]

It is alarming the amount of anti-Israel verbiage in this thread...

Show me a country that would not do a preemptive airstrike on another country whose motivation is to destroy their people...

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations...has been left to pretty much fend for itself...understands the odds are stacked against them...and act accordingly to preserve their culture...

The land dispute goes back for centuries...non of us were there so do not even go there...

I know...all you Arab sympathizers...and Jew haters...give me your best shot...

If Israelis want hostilities to cease perhaps they should try making their enemies their friends, rather than constant aggression, ethnic cleansing with mainly American and European immigrants stealing land from the existing Arab residents..

[daveAustin]

Good enough, I spose. I wish they'd just stop pussy-footing around and drop a couple on the big I.

[Jingthing]

It is alarming the amount of anti-Israel verbiage in this thread...

Show me a country that would not do a preemptive airstrike on another country whose motivation is to destroy their people...

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations...has been left to pretty much fend for itself...understands the odds are stacked against them...and act accordingly to preserve their culture...

The land dispute goes back for centuries...non of us were there so do not even go there...

I know...all you Arab sympathizers...and Jew haters...give me your best shot...

Yes, and those who try to push the lie that the level of Jew hating among Israel's neighbors is not a big issue, THINK AGAIN!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w9fPNXH9DU&list=UUpBvIBfZ-foo5ZbLH5O0N4g

BTW, non-Israeli press is reporting that two Hezbollah militants were killed in the Israeli action in Syria (which is not acknowledged by Israel).

Iran (who cares?) is angry about the action and so is Russia. Figures.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Jingthing

[ggt]

It is alarming the amount of anti-Israel verbiage in this thread...

Show me a country that would not do a preemptive airstrike on another country whose motivation is to destroy their people...

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations...has been left to pretty much fend for itself...understands the odds are stacked against them...and act accordingly to preserve their culture...

The land dispute goes back for centuries...non of us were there so do not even go there...

I know...all you Arab sympathizers...and Jew haters...give me your best shot...

If Israelis want hostilities to cease perhaps they should try making their enemies their friends, rather than constant aggression, ethnic cleansing with mainly American and European immigrants stealing land from the existing Arab residents..

Thank you for your comments...the Israelis have tried the diplomacy route with the Arabs...it just gave the Arabs more time to dig tunnels, purchase more arms and plot their aggression against Israel...Israel has never said it wants to destroy all the Arabs...Arabs have stated their disdain for all living Israelis on numerous occasions...

The militant Arabs and Israelis do not want peace...they stir up trouble on both sides to keep the animosity and war going...there does not appear to be an amicable solution to their on-going battles...

[Lissos]

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

"The best defense is a good offense", etc.

Keen vigilance in maintaining the lawn, means less weeds to deal with later.

Israel should give back the Golan Heights to Syria.

Israel rightly ignores shoulds from people whos motivation for their recommendation is suspect to say the least.

Strategic value aside, Golan is arguably also the most beautiful part of Israel.

Golan's friendly Druze Arabs are also a fine example for Arabs of how engaging with Jews in a positive manner, pays off.

[Jay Sata]

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?

[Lissos]

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

Oh I don't know, how about these for a start :

* Yom Kippur War

* Iraq-Iraq War

* Iraq–Kuwait War

Add to that the various insurgencys by Arab states against other Arab states, with regime change in mind.

Unsure what you're getting at with the 'without warning' thing :

"Evening. We thought it worth informing you that we'll be attacking you at 6pm, so you can prepare your forces"

[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?

[Pakboong]

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.

[Morch]

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.

Return to whom?

Have you checked who is in actual control of the on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights?

Your argument is disingenuous.

The civil war in Syria only started 3 years ago. Israel had 44 years prior to that to return land stolen from Syria in 1967 in contravention of UN resolutions 242 and 497.

No, it isn't. You claimed Israel should give back the Golan Heights to Syria, not that it should have done so at an earlier date. Currently, this is obviously not an option. Over the years there were different backroom negotiations and initiatives which did not bear fruit. Regardless, the whole Golan Heights issue does not have much to do with the OP. The attacks seem to be elated to weapon transfers to Hezbollah.

[Morch]

It is alarming the amount of anti-Israel verbiage in this thread...

Show me a country that would not do a preemptive airstrike on another country whose motivation is to destroy their people...

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations...has been left to pretty much fend for itself...understands the odds are stacked against them...and act accordingly to preserve their culture...

The land dispute goes back for centuries...non of us were there so do not even go there...

I know...all you Arab sympathizers...and Jew haters...give me your best shot...

If Israelis want hostilities to cease perhaps they should try making their enemies their friends, rather than constant aggression, ethnic cleansing with mainly American and European immigrants stealing land from the existing Arab residents..

Israel got long standing peace agreements with two of its neighbors (Egypt and Jordan). Syria's current situation does not allow for any realistic hopes of peace agreements being a reality anytime soon. Lebanon's (the attacks are related to weapons transfers to Hezbollah) continues situation precludes anything similar as well.

Would be refreshing if posters could relate to the OP rather to their own agendas.

[Morch]

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

Oh I don't know, how about these for a start :

* Yom Kippur War

* Iraq-Iraq War

* Iraq–Kuwait War

Add to that the various insurgencys by Arab states against other Arab states, with regime change in mind.

Unsure what you're getting at with the 'without warning' thing :

"Evening. We thought it worth informing you that we'll be attacking you at 6pm, so you can prepare your forces"

No need to go that far,back even....

Syrian aircraft bomb Sunni militant targets inside Iraq

Syrian government aircraft bombed Sunni militant targets inside Iraq on Tuesday, further broadening the Middle Eastern crisis a day after Israeli warplanes and rockets struck targets inside Syria.

Iraqi state media initially reported that the attacks near Iraq’s western border with Syria were carried out by U.S. drones, a claim that was quickly and forcefully denied by the Pentagon.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/syrian-aircraft-bomb-sunni-militant-targets-inside-iraq/2014/06/24/2ea61b70-fbdc-11e3-8176-f2c941cf35f1_story.html

But in all fairness, this is totally different - in this case Syria attacked terrorist related targets within a neighboring country, whereas in the OP Israel attacked terrorist related targets within a neighboring country.

Don't recall quite the same responses of outrage at the outcome...but guess that too, is because this is a totally different situation:

Syrian warplanes reportedly strike in Iraq, killing 57 civilians Reports that Syrian warplanes carried out a cross-border attack on Iraqi towns this week is further evidence of the blurring between the two countries' borders as they face an offensive by Islamic extremists.

At least 57 Iraqi civilians were killed and more than 120 others were wounded by what local officials say were Syrian warplanes that struck several border areas of Anbar province Tuesday.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/25/world/meast/iraq-crisis/

Edited December 9, 2014 by Scott

[chuckd]

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.

[Morch]

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.

[Morch]

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.

[Morch]

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.

Not very likely.

If Israel's aim was to send a message to IS, it would attack relevant targets. The ones picked got more to do with Assad's

regime and Hezbollah, which are on the opposing side.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed.