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Ear to the Ground

U.S. Attack in Syria Kills 8

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Posted on Oct 26, 2008
goarmy.com

Syrian authorities have demanded to know why U.S. forces crossed the Iraq-Syria border and killed eight people. A U.S. official said the raid—the first ever on Syrian soil—targeted foreign fighters. Damascus said the dead were Syrian civilians.


Guardian:

Syria warned that it held the US “wholly responsible for this act of aggression and all its repercussions”.

It described the dead as Syrian civilians, five of them members of the same family. Syrian state television reported that the attack was against a farm near Abu Kamal, five miles from the Iraqi border. Doctors in nearby al-Sukkariya said another seven people were taken to hospital with bullet wounds.

The incident threatened to unleash a new wave of anti-American feeling in Syria and across the Middle East at a time when President Bashar al-Assad, already being courted by Europe, is looking forward to improved relations with Washington after the November 4 presidential election. News of the attack led bulletins across the Arab world last night - suggesting it will have wide resonance.

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By abdo, October 28, 2008 at 12:19 pm #

By P. T., October 27 at 2:17 pm #

They hate our freedom. How hates your freedom? Before crying wolf ask who are the wolfs?

Did you read what I wrote about the war in south east Asia in the 60s, Do you know about Matt bombing and agent Orange?
Did you car to know about the 80s war in Central America? Did you know about the death squad in el salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala? How formed them how are their victims
Did you care to know that since the 80s united state government was involved in gulf wars.
This wars and the embargo resulted in death ,wounding and destruction of livelihood of more than one fifth of the Iraqi population.

How much did you know or car to know about the history and freedom of black people in America?

How much did care to know about the history of native Americans in the Americas, north central and south? Do you know what happened to their population civilization and freedom? who destroyed the life and the freedom of the native Americans? In the 50s we egyptian boy es watched western movies and played cowboys and “red Indians” no kid wanted to play the role of the red man because we were led to believe they were the only bade ones? Did you ever watch western and what was your impression about the wild west and how made it wild.

I was-born in Egypt, when I was little boy i have American cheese ,provided as aid, at school? Since then I did not stop learning about the USA “the good the bad and the Ugly”, I ended up in USA because I met my American wife in Europe and we have a son how is more American than egyptian ?  how much you know about Egypt other than pyramids and camels?

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By carl moore, October 28, 2008 at 2:18 am #

Abbas is the equivalent to Quisling in Norway or Petain in France - - a maumet
for fascist hegemony, turning the Palestinian Authority into a despised Vichy
government under the Nazi Zionists.  Israel is the equivalent to the fascist forces
in Spain in 1936 under Franco and Sanjurjo, able to fight and win a war against
democracy only because of the abundant and bloody support of Mussolini and
Hitler.  The U.S.A. is the equivalent to Mussolini and Hitler playing video war
games in bedlam, using Israel as their vanguard force in the Middle East to spread their hecatombs of ‘democracy’ while they build fortresses throughout
East Asia and an embassy as big as Disneyland in Iraq.  There is no International Brigade to fight the Israeli fascists because there cannot be.  There can, however,
and should be, an international resistance to this bloodthirsty, thieving state.

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By thebeerdoctor, October 28, 2008 at 1:57 am #

Does anybody know what this incident is all about?
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Could-crazy-conspiracy-theory-really.4634297.jp

It could very well be that misinformation has its own misinformation.

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By P. T., October 27, 2008 at 6:17 pm #

They hate our freedom.

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By diamond, October 27, 2008 at 5:46 pm #

Frank, they killed children. Or was that a pre-emptive strike, in case they grew up to be terrorists? When I saw that Tom Cruise movie ‘Minority Report’ it seemed like science fiction. Now, in so many ways, it’s become science fact. Most of the people they killed belonged to the same family. Perhaps that only proves they were guilty -by association or perhaps genetically. It’s madness, sheer unadulatered madness, not to mention a cynical, calculated political ploy. Doomed to fail, fortunately, because the electorate is on to them but they don’t seem to have woken up to that yet. Justc another example of their reckless disregard for America and Americans and their good name in the world.

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By 123456, October 27, 2008 at 3:59 pm #

The Syrian government has so far proven very smart
int he face of both U.S. and Israeli provocation
and aggression, in that it has done nothing to
play into their hands.

However, eventually inaction may lead to a backlash
against the government for being too weak. This
would not a be good scenario for either the U.S.
or Israel, as Syria isn’t a weak country.

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By abdo, October 27, 2008 at 2:35 pm #

The so called Iraqi awakening followed by surge is not any thing other than “Iraqization” or “nativization” of the war in Iraq;i:e south east Asia again. First,  heir native as low paid mercenary, you also neutralize many people how are dependent on their income. second, Shift the American army role to adviser;i.e people who site in the back row less likely to die still can bravely leach massive fire power from land air and sea. Finally, accuse any neighboring country you dislike our disagree of supporting the US enemies, with, then bomb them to the stone age. Nixon did it to Louse and Cambodia. The old fool Mac the plumer would like to continue doing it.

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By tomack, October 27, 2008 at 1:13 pm #

As a nation We are not ready to admit that we are terrorists. Because…you know….we’re the good guys and all. I think we need to get involved in slavery again. Maybe destroy another indigenous people. You know, build a body of work that says, Terrorist.

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By thebeerdoctor, October 27, 2008 at 12:16 pm #

a follow up link to my post:
http://www.reuters.com/article/world/News/idUSTRE49Q56620081027

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By thebeerdoctor, October 27, 2008 at 12:04 pm #

If you ask either the Republican or Democratic camps whether the United States military has the right to fly helicopters inside another sovereign country, they will both say that it is legitimate, as long as it is part of the war on terror. Even targeted killings is considered just fine, and yet government officials are shocked when others around the world claim that the United States is an exporter of terrorism.
The rapid fire response of flying in and touching down to kill some people in another land, may be great for the “geter done” commando mentality. But it does nothing to dispel the notion that the United States refuses to abide by international law, which our own government claims other nations must adhere to.

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By mmadden, October 27, 2008 at 11:10 am #

Bush is doing his best to have a legacy that will outlast him. Hopefully he doesn’t take the rest of the free world with him when he goes.

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By Purple Girl, October 27, 2008 at 8:52 am #

Obviously Not on the RNC reading list!
Yes they had better be training the Northern Command for Civil Unrest….Except they have a Fatal Flaw (as usual)...All those Soldiers are Americans TOO.Their constant Mis Use of the term and concept of patriotism may just come back to Arrest their asses instead of protecting them.
The Repugnants should be keeping a careful eye on which Party the troops support, It could Foreshadow Who will be Arrested and Inprisoned.
So keep training OUR Kids,We’ll appreciate all they’ve learned.Remember how AQ bit you in the ass after you funded, trained and armed them since the ‘80’s.And Who will save your asses Then Blackwater,.... the Saudi’s,...France, Germany,Spain…The UN..LOL

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By Paolo, October 27, 2008 at 8:40 am #

See http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=13678

Sounds like this could be the October Surprise to get McCain elected.

Obama leads in the polls in all crucial areas except one: Iraq. (How Americans could view McCain as “better” on Iraq is another story.)

This plays right into McCain’s alleged strength. We’ll see if he plays it for all it’s worth.

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By Frank, October 27, 2008 at 6:17 am #

I’m reserving judgement until a later date when we know more. Many of the militants the US military is fighting in Iraq are ‘civilians’ most of the time, until they pick up the AK-47 hiding under their mattress and play part-time insurgent.

Theer are hundreds if not thousands of Syrians who has crossed into Iraq to join the jihad against the US there. Maybe this house was connected to that, maybe it wasn’t. Maybe the intel was good, maybe it was bad.  At this point, tirades are premature.

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By Claus-Erik Hamle, October 27, 2008 at 3:31 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The real terrorists are in Washington. The soldiers are as much criminals as the politicians. They shouldn´t follow illegal orders. Bush and his gang must be arrested on leaving office. If not, I hope they will be arrested and tried in the Hague if they dare leave the country.

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By G.Anderson, October 27, 2008 at 1:20 am #

we’re going to be lucky if Bush doesn’t kill us all by January, by starting WWIII.

It’s never to late to impeach…

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By purplewolf, October 27, 2008 at 12:45 am #

TheRealFish: I couldn’t have said it better. This was planned several years back by the Bushco. Corp. of Criminals.

With all the talk about the very real possibility of the Repugs stealing yet a 3rd election on the news(MSNBC) mostly, and from the web news,and surprisingly in my local newspaper, reported and still being investigating by credible sources, I would not put anything past these no moral values, corrupt group of the criminally insane, who have stolen this country only to run it to their own private agenda for the last 8 years. Even if they do not win, or should I say especially if the Dems win in November, they will definitely do their best to make sure they don’t lose their grip of power by stirring up more wars just to retain the White House.

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By Joe, October 27, 2008 at 12:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

What I find most interesting about this story is that the different sources have wildly different versions of events

So for instance some source claim the attack took place
in the village of Al-Sukkiraya.  Some say it happened in the village Hwijeh
Some say 8 dead some say 9 dead
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/3264165/Syria-claims-US-helicopters-attacked-village.html

One thing seems clear from all the sources;  Nobody with any significant ties to terrorism was killed only civilians

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By DoctorK, October 27, 2008 at 12:34 am #

It’s “Wag the Dog II”...sick, really sick.

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By diamond, October 27, 2008 at 12:10 am #

The CIA, the Pentagon and the neo con/Repuglicans are now officially insane. They actually believe they can start a war in the Middle East (another one) and McCain will then win the election. This is the last trick at the bottom of a very grubby and despicable barrel.

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By Fadel Abdallah, October 26, 2008 at 10:51 pm #

Well, is this one of these last minute pre-election evil schemes to help McCain by shifting the focus away from the economy he’s loosing to terrorism stirring it in order to look like fighting it and get the ignorant masses again under the yoke of fear-mongering?! Let’s hope that is Israel is not in a position to escalate the situation by making its own attack on Syria or Iran!

Well, if this was not enough for one day’s news about evil plotting, there was also that letter sent by the Republican party to 75 thousand Jews in Pennsylvania, warning them that electing Obama is as a frightening prospect as the Holocaust! This is a message most likely generated or inspired by Joe Lieberman who wants McCain to win badly because in a McCain’s administration he was promised a big post, such as State Secretary.

I am sure the people on the top in the McCain’s campaign apparatus will condemn this letter, when, in fact, implicitly it has been sealed by the statement, “I am McCain and I am Lieberman, and we approve / disapprove this message!!” But the reality is that the message was sent and publicized twice: once by direct mail and the other by disapproving it in public!

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By jackpine savage, October 26, 2008 at 10:42 pm #

Lovely…as if we don’t already have both hands stuck in cookie jars now we’re putting our feet in them too.

The Real Fish,

A week from Tuesday only changes one thing, that we’ll have a president elect. The Bush posse still has until Jan 20 to declare marshal law, etc.. Nov 4th won’t get us out of the woods, it will only mean that we’ve found a trail.

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By TheRealFish, October 26, 2008 at 10:11 pm #

Bush is trying to make the Middle East erupt, making it “impossible” to pull out of Iraq (though this seriously increases the likelihood we will be ejected by the Iraqi government), and have the mindless, fearful masses flock to their war-mongering savior from the vengeful Islamic horde, John McCain.

Welcome to the United States of Insanity, brought to us by our corporate sponsor, the 43rd POTUS.

This fascist regime must be stopped, and can only be stopped by MASSIVE turnout in nine days.

But that also assumes some other shoe is not about to drop from the White House calling for Marshall Law within our borders, and suspension of the elections and the Constitution within the next eight.

This is nothing at all to do with ideologies, or character or values or all the other lies they have used to win and maintain power; it is about power alone, and they do not give one rat’s a** about the consequences of exercising all the power at their finger tips.

For an October “surprise,” there should be not one thing surprising in this move.

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