U.S. Offensive Intensifies at Syrian Border

[Algorem]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=753875

Hundreds of U.S. Troops Search Desert Villages Near Syrian Border for Foreign Fighters, Native Insurgents

BAGHDAD, Iraq May 13, 2005 — American fighter jets flattened a suspected insurgent safe house near the Syrian border, the U.S. military said Friday, as hundreds of U.S. troops searched remote desert villages house by house for followers of Iraq's most wanted militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

American forces have met little resistance since the first two days of Operation Matador, aimed at clearing a region believed to be a haven for foreign fighters slipping over the border from Syria, the military said in a statement Friday. American intelligence indicates the insurgents are either in hiding or have fled the region, U.S. Capt. Jeffrey Pool said in the statement.

Villagers reached by telephone Friday said gunmen still roamed some areas and they continued to receive U.S. shelling.

The U.S. offensive one of the largest since militants were forces from Fallujah six months ago comes amid a surge of militant attacks that have killed more than 420 people in just over two weeks since Iraq's first democratically elected government was announced...

[demnan]

1. Did I miss something?

When did we go to war with Syria? And they already gave it a fucking name? :rant:

[acmavm]

2. Operation Matador? Well, this whole fiasco is a bunch of bullshit, isn't

it?

F**kwits.

[jayfish]

3. When Is The UN Going To Slap Some...

no-fly zones over Iraq so we can no longer use fixed-wing aircraft to "flatten" houses? You know, like they did to Saddam.


Jay

[Hissyspit]

4. AP: U.S. Assault Intensifies At Syria Border

...because it has clearly been so successful at stopping the suicide bombings...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050513/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

U.S. Assault Intensifies at Syria Border
By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer

American fighter jets flattened a suspected insurgent safe house near the Syrian border, the U.S. military said Friday, as hundreds of U.S. troops searched remote desert villages house by house for followers of Iraq's most wanted militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

American forces have met little resistance since the first two days of Operation Matador, aimed at clearing a region believed to be a haven for foreign fighters slipping over the border from Syria, the military said in a statement Friday. American intelligence indicates the insurgents are either in hiding or have fled the region, U.S. Capt. Jeffrey Pool said in the statement.

Villagers reached by telephone Friday said gunmen still roamed some areas and they continued to receive U.S. shelling.

The U.S. offensive — one of the largest since militants were forces from Fallujah six months ago — comes amid a surge of militant attacks that have killed more than 420 people in just over two weeks since Iraq's first democratically elected government was announced.

MORE AT LINK

[LynnTheDem]

"American forces have met little resistance"...yeah, cattle herders and

nomads don't generally like to get into pissing contests with the world's greatest superpower, especially whilst said superpower is bombing the living shite out of everything & anything.

[Bob3]

5. "Forces have met little resistance since the first two days"

Okay boys and girls what does that statement mean?

Yes Billy that's right, it means the guerrillas have left the area and the US are now blowing up buildings and killing civilians in a fit of superpower pique.

Sally? Yes, you can expect that CENTCOM will blame the failure of operation Matador on Syria allowing the guerrillas to slip across the border. Secret bombing of Syria can be expected to begin shortly

No Billy, the Syrians will know they will be the ones getting bombed it's the US public that will be kept in the dark. We can't be trusted we might start up with some damn fool ideas about rule of law or some other such nonsense and muck up this whole thing.

Well's that all we have time for now. Your reading for the week is The Perfect War by James William Gibson. Yes Billy we have gone down this road before.

[LynnTheDem]

6. Great Minds Think Alike. Or would it be a case of

common sense.

[Jo March]

7. I cannot believe the arrogance and power grabs of the * admin

Who is going to stop *? Who? We can't even stop him anymore. He gets what he wants, kills whomever he wants, and runs over the rest.

I am so angry right now that I want to drive straight to DC!!!

[ckramer]

8. Next thing you know

we are invading Syria after some "incidents"

Four more wars! Four more Wars!

[Village Idiot]

9. The name "Matador" says it all...

They seem to be waving the red cape Syria's way...do they actually think that Syria will be stupid enough to rise to the bait?

Perhaps they beileve that since lies and disinfo worked with Iraq in 1991 and 2003, it may work here, too...

I supppose it matters little, since they will go into Syria if and whenever they want, anyway...

[uncle ray]

15. so sad that so many will completely miss the meaning

this sure seems to be the makings of another whole new war. or is it the next excalation of WWIII?

[12345]

19. nice catch

[bemildred]

10. Gives new meaning to the term "pounding sand". nt

[Barrett808]

11. U.S. Assault Intensifies at Syria Border (Myers: up to nine years of war)

U.S. Assault Intensifies at Syria Border
By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- American fighter jets flattened a suspected insurgent safe house near the Syrian border, the U.S. military said Friday, and hundreds of U.S. troops conducted house-to-house searches in remote desert villages for followers of Iraq's most-wanted militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

American forces have met little resistance since the first two days of Operation Matador, which began Saturday, aimed at clearing a region believed to be a haven for foreign fighters slipping into Iraq from Syria, the military said. American intelligence indicates the insurgents are either in hiding or have fled, U.S. Capt. Jeffrey Pool said.

Villagers reached by telephone said gunmen still roamed some areas and they continued to be hit by U.S. shelling.

...

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated Thursday that the insurgency could last for many more years.

"This requires patience," he said at a news conference. "This is a thinking and adapting adversary ... I wouldn't look for results tomorrow. One thing we know about insurgencies, that they last from three, four years to nine years."

(more)

http://wokv.com/common/ap/2005/05/13/D8A2AU5O0.html

[cliss]

12. Wow. Operation Matador.

And they threw in Al Zarkawi to boot. Just to spice things up a bit. I'm surprised they didn't throw in the Osama bin Laden cliffhanger.

Just think of General Myers as your friendly Factory Rep or Sales Rep for General Dynamics, Boeing, and others.

Every time he opens his mouth, think, "sales pitch".

[Tempest]

13. Was it another wedding party?

Seems to be a favorite target of U.S. fighers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[calimary]

14. IDIOT!!!!! Myers is an IDIOT!!!!!

He doesn't know the fuck about fuck.

I'm sorry, it doesn't take a member of the Joint Chiefs to know you CANNOT put a time limit on when an insurgency peters out. There's no such thing. Human nature being what it is, an "insurgency" - in this case, a whole lot of angry people who want their country back and have decided they're willing to take up arms for it will fight to the death. And those who witness their deaths will very likely become inspired to seek vengeance and join the cause, if indeed they haven't already signed up. This thing will go on... and on... and on... and grow more dug-in and spread out and utterly metastacized - UNTIL WE LEAVE. As long as we are there, we are aggravating the situation, not doing SQUAT to mollify it. It's like trying to stop a tsunami by just keep on building up them barricades and sea walls and sand bag piles. If the tsunami is big enough, it'll simply wash over them.

Where did this asshole get his military training? Insurgencies last until the perceived enemy of that insurgency leaves. Maybe THAT's what he's extrapolating around: the time frame of whatever enemy finally gives up and leaves, or decides it's had enough and leaves. Maybe THAT'S what takes "from three, four years to nine years."

WHAT AN IDIOT!!!! Maybe he should go over there and spend some time at the war front instead of behind a desk in a nice big cushy office at the Pentagon with all his attaches doing his bidding and taking his fancy uniform to the dry cleaners so it's fresh and presentable for the next news conference. This guy needs to get back to the grunt level and get his hands dirty and THEN talk about how long the insurgency is going to last. This guy, like all the rest of the bush recruits, proves that old addage about how shit floats.

[tabasco]

18. Myers was installed because he is a Star Wars expert.

Right after Bush took office. He doesn't have a fkkking clue about ground operations. Star Wars was the cabal's planned method of profiteering before the asshole hijackers gave Bush/Cheney an excuse for endless war in the Middle East.

Star Wars is nothing but a scheme to redistribute wealth upwards. It does nothing for national security. But now two ground wars are doing even better for the profiteering corporations.

Peter Pace won't be any better. He is a mealy-mouthed yes-man who will do the bidding of the corrupt administration.

[Ian David]

16. Matador? In other words, trying to provoke the bull (Syria) to attack?

My Prediction: Bush will intentionally start World War Three on 06/06/2005 at 6:06 AM. It will be called something like "Operation Rapture."

[Ian David]

17. Matador: The person who taunts and finally kills the bull

Matador
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
<snip>

A matador ("killer") is the main performer in bullfighting events in Spain and other Spanish-speaking coutries. Also known as the torero (roughly "bull handler"), he or she is the person who taunts and finally kills the bull.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matador

[daleo]

20. Met little resistance?

I thought the Marines had taken dozens of casualties (WaPo story about a squad wiped out for example). And the other day I read that they were calling off Operation Matador. Now it is intensifying. I suppose it means they have abandoned the ground assault and are just going with carpet bombing now.

[0007]

21. The Keystone Kops and the Mutt & Jeff comedy continues....

and the guy with the big funny looking mustache (Bolton) will soon join the circle jerk, while the Death Squad Master (Negroponte) is dreaming up a new intelligent plan.

Randi Rhodes sez something is wrong with this country!