AP: U.S. Launches Raid Inside Syria

by: Brandon Friedman

Sun Oct 26, 2008 at 14:58:09 PM EDT


This is interesting:

DAMASCUS, Syria - U.S. military helicopters attacked an area along the country's border with Iraq, causing casualties, Syria's state-run television and witnesses said Sunday.

The TV report quoted unnamed Syrian officials and said the area is near the Syrian border town of Abu Kamal. It gave no other details on Sunday's attack.

Local residents told The Associated Press by telephone that two helicopters carrying U.S. soldiers raided the village of Hwijeh, 10 miles inside Syria's border, killing seven people and wounding five.

Obviously if it took place "10 miles inside the border" it wasn't a mistake.  David Shuster just confirmed this on MSNBC, and the way he described it is pretty much as a deliberate, targeted raid of some sort.  He also made note of the most significant aspect here: U.S. forces have never launched cross-border raids into Syria before.

Brandon Friedman :: AP: U.S. Launches Raid Inside Syria
Tags: , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email
CNN report and a Google search for Abu Kamal, Syria (4.00 / 1)
CNN reports that there is a large Red Crescent camp for Iraqi refugees in the area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A...

Abu Kamal is an ancient trading route and since the invasion has been a point of entry for foreign fighters into Iraq.

Latest from the Gulf News:

Saudis are yapping about Syria
http://archives.gulfnews.com/a...
Iraq wants apology for death in Fallujah
http://www.gulfnews.com/region...
Iraqis cancel meeting about SOFA
http://www.gulfnews.com/region...

and in Diyala a US supporter is attacked
http://www.turkishweekly.net/n...

Think that we are in a no-win situation...or as the Generals so PC phrase it, "precarious".

We need to fold up the tents and disappear into the night.


We're (4.00 / 1)
Just compounding that which will probably now come, and probably last well past my time on this planet!

Brandon, your last sentence, "That we will ever know about, even If the Syrians say we did!"

according to the report I heard about this was that there was a very stern "No more information coming from U.S. command about this raid!", means that unless the Syrians somehow explain the possibilities of, we may never get an explanation of the purpose.

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson


[ Parent ]
More details in this article and Syria is calling for a diplomatic meeting: (4.00 / 1)
So... they want a diplomatic meeting, eh? (4.00 / 1)
Well, they'll have to wait until late January...IF we're lucky.

[ Parent ]
It wouldn't surprise me (4.00 / 1)
to hear that we have a tacit agreement with Syria that permits U.S. raids on foreign fighters in the border area.  Based on the current CNN report, it sounds like the Syrian government is protesting and publicizing this particular event based on the high number of civilian casualties and the resulting perception that the U.S. is behaving carelessly.

Holding a Destroyed Country Hostage (0.00 / 0)
If administration and command can threaten like this than Why Are Our Troops Still There, and still at levels higher than pre-escalation !!

U.S. threatens to halt services to Iraq without troop accord

Which begs the question of the Syrian Strike, if al Qaeda or Mujahadeen, choose a regional name to use, are defeated or greatly beat down because of the 'surge' what are these policy decisions for!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson


I don't (0.00 / 0)
think they are beat down. They probably toned down operations in Iraq to wait out the surge and then plan on coming back to wreak havoc again. Then again, forgive our politicians. They are living in Bizarro world right now.

[ Parent ]
VetVoice on Facebook
VetVoice Recommends

"The War I Always Wanted,"
By Brandon Friedman

"The welcome mat for memoirs by veterans of operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom might never wear out so long as they write with the savvy of Brandon Friedman . . . Friedman's take is vivid, frank, precise and dramatic." --Military Times

"Add Brandon Friedman's The War I Always Wanted to the ranks of outstanding non-fiction produced by officers from elite combat units in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Always truthful, often excruciatingly so, The War I Always Wanted rises at numerous points to the level of literature." --Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire

Buy The War I Always Wanted here.

"A Time To Lead,"
By General (Ret.) Wesley K. Clark

"A Time To Lead confirms the rewarding benefits of military service at a time when such service is experiencing considerable strain. It also includes a comprehensive description of America's current national imperatives, which deserve serious consideration." --General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., former Secretary of State

"This is a primer on leadership forged in battle and by decades of experience. . .This isn't just a book; it's a manual for leading people and living a good life." --Barry McCaffrey, General, USA (ret.)

Buy A Time to Lead here.

"Love My Rifle More Than You,"
By Kayla Williams

"Whip smart, sassy, with a mouth as foul as a sailor's, 28-year-old Sergeant Kayla Williams. . .tells what it's like to be a female soldier in Iraq." --Booklist

". . .echoes military memoirists from Julius Caesar to Ernie Pyle." --Publishers Weekly

". . .a shocking, on-the-ground view of one military woman's experience in Iraq." --Bookmarks Magazine

Buy Love My Rifle More Than You here.

"How to Break a Terrorist,"
By Matthew Alexander

"...a riveting, fast-paced account that reads like a first-rate thriller." --Publisher's Weekly

" ...an absorbing behind-the-scenes look at the secret intelligence war within a war." --Military.com

Buy How to Break a Terrorist here.

RSS Feed Links

Subscribe to VetVoice in a feed reader!

Subscribe to VetVoice by Email!

Diaries and comments at VetVoice do not necessarily represent the views of VoteVets.org. VetVoice will strive to remove any illegal material as soon as it is flagged. Similarly, VetVoice will use its discretion in determining whether to remove exceedingly offensive material. However, between posting and removal, any offensive or illegal material does not reflect the condoning or endorsing of said material by VoteVets.org or VetVoice.
Similarly, the views expressed on this website are those of the authors alone. Opinions on this website do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or any of its components.
Menu

Front Page Writers
PTSD Resources
TBI Resources
IRR Information
Casualty Reports
VA Information
Support the Troops
Veteran Candidates We Support
Congressional Committees
Contact Your Elected Leaders
Sites We Like
Search

Advanced Search

Paid for VoteVets Political Action Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. VoteVets Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization which primarily focuses on nonpartisan education and advocacy on behalf veterans and their families. VoteVets Political Action Committee is a federal political committee which primarily helps elect Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran candidates and educates about veterans and military issues aimed at influencing the outcome of the next election.

Site Design: Articulated Man

VoteVets Political Action and Vote Vets Action Fund are separate organizations.

Powered by: SoapBlox