Published: September 09, 2007
Op-Ed Contributor
Crossfire War - Syria, Israel Mobilize Reserves
By Willard Payne
Crossfire War - Tehran - Damascus - Beirut Watch - West Asia - North - Northeast Africa Theatre: Tehran - Riyadh - Ankara - Tripoli - Amman - Khartoum - Baghdad - Beirut - Damascus/Jerusalem - Cairo - Paris - Rome - Washington; Syria/Israel Mobilize Reserves in Preparation for War - Damascus Plans "A Series of Responses"
Night Watch: DAMASCUS - AFP reports Syria Vice-President Farouq al-Shara has stated, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica while visiting Rome, "I can say now that in Damascus a series of responses is being examined at the highest political and military levels. The results will not take long in coming."
Damascus of course knows it is not just between Syria/Israel and that other governments, especially Tehran are ready to enter this year's regional war, something Tehran had been planning to do for years. Iran wanted to be completely ready and not just for war with Israel but to even become more engaged on two other fronts, Southeast Europe against NATO and South Asia against India in support of Pakistan and Muslims in Kashmir.
Tehran has prepared some expendable units against Israel as a magnanimous gesture of support for Syria and Palestinian people, knowing the war in this theatre will produce more Islamic radicalism throughout the region especially in Egypt and will be used to remove President Hosni Mubarak. [GULF-TIMES]
Last year Tehran-Damascus made their military axis official when they signed a security agreement and with the fighting just concluded in northern Lebanon, with the action caused by the suicide unit Fatah al-Islam, all of Lebanon's military is ready to support Hezbollah and any attack against the European units in UNIFIL in the south of the country.
Debka is reporting both Syria and Israel have begun to mobilize reserves in anticipation. Jerusalem began to do so last Thursday right after Damascus accused Israeli aircraft of violating its air space. Now the government of President Bashar al-Assad is calling up reserves and moblizing armor, missile unts and air defense personnel and has placed its military on full alert.
This is a continuation of Syria's military build up Damascus began earlier this year along its border with Israel. Hezbollah has also rearmed more heavily than before last year's fighting. Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups have already been in almost daily combat with Israel in Gaza since the spring. [DEBKA]
No one is monitoring these events more closely or worriedly than the Mubarak government in Cairo.
Night Watch Information Service
http://www.crossfirewar.com
9/9/2007
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