February 24, 2005
ASSAD ON THE RACK:
Iraq video claims to show rebels' confessions (MAGGIE MICHAEL, February 24, 2005, ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Syrian intelligence officer who appeared on the U.S.-funded Iraqi state television station had a stark message about the insurgency-- he'd helped train people to build car bombs and behead people."My name is Anas Ahmed al-Essa. I live in Halab. I am from Syria," he said by way of introduction-- naming what he said was his home in Syria.
"What's your job?" he was asked by someone off-camera. "I am a lieutenant in intelligence."
Then a second question. "Which intelligence?" The reply: "Syrian intelligence."
And so began a detailed 15-minute confession broadcast by al-Iraqiya TV on Wednesday, in which the man, identified as 30-year-old Lt. Anas Ahmed al-Essa, said his group was recruited to "cause chaos in Iraq ... to bar America from reaching Syria."
"We received all the instructions from Syrian intelligence," said the man, who appeared in the propaganda video along with 10 Iraqis who said they had also been recruited by Syrian intelligence officers.
crank...crank...crank... Posted by Orrin Judd at February 24, 2005 10:58 AM
Don't you just love that description "propoganda video"? I would call it news, but then I'm hopelessly retrograde.
Posted by: jd watson at February 24, 2005 11:47 AMDon't we still have an Air Force?
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at February 24, 2005 12:27 PMSo have the Syrians figured out yet that the way we could end the chaos in Iraq would be to invade Syria? And do they think we'll never figure that out?
Posted by: Brandon at February 24, 2005 1:51 PMTurks to the north, Israelis to the south, the US Army/Marines to the east, the US Navy/Marines to the west. Not an enviable strategic position, surrounded by people who loath you.
The first rule of holes is that when you find yourself in one - stop digging. Time for Syria to sit down, shut-up, and quit drawing attention to itself. Or it'll be Fish, Barrel, BOOM!
Posted by: Mikey at February 24, 2005 3:31 PMA phone rings in Syria:
Hello.
This is Anas Ahmed al-Essa. I live in Halab. I am from Syria, let's get this straight, is it 72 raisins, 72 virgins or 72 Virginians?
Click. Bzzzzzzzzzzz
Posted by: AllenS at February 24, 2005 3:44 PMThis is interesting but these sorts were showing up in Turkish custody for much of the 80s without it redounding to serious hurt by the Turks. It's going to take something more substantial.
Assad pere et fils have gained a lot of traction from the sense that if they weren't in power, things would be worse. Syria is at least as much an ethnic and religious hodgepodge as Lebanon. Also, the main Christian group in Syria, the Orthodox Christians, are pro-regime. It will chill American interest in attacking the Syrians when their Archbishop in America comes out for Assad, and gets tons of MSM airtime when he does.
Posted by: Bart at February 24, 2005 4:22 PM