TIME TO MANUFACTURE A BORDER INCIDENT:

100 Rebels Killed in U.S. Offensive in Western Iraq (RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr., 5/10/05, NY Times)

A Marine task force swept through a wide area of western Iraq near the Syrian border, killing 100 insurgents and raiding desert outposts and city safe houses belonging to insurgents who have used the area to import cars, money, weapons, and foreigners to fight United States and Iraqi forces in Baghdad, Mosul and other cities, American military officials said Monday.

The attack, involving more than 1,000 troops including a Marine regimental combat team that includes soldiers and sailors, appears to be the largest combat offensive in Iraq since the Marines invaded Falluja six months ago. It comes as senior American commanders have increasingly blamed the porous border with Syria for allowing a never-ending stream of armed jihadists to enter Iraq and replenish the insurgency as quickly as fighters can be killed and captured.

The military believes the insurgents have had a free run in the heavily Sunni area around Qaim and Ubaydi, in the Jazira Desert near where the Euphrates River crosses from Syria to Iraq. At least three marines have been killed in the operation, two on Sunday in Qaim and Ubaydi, and another on Monday in Qaim. Some insurgents killed in the operation are believed to be foreign fighters, military officials said Monday.

American officials said that the offensive had been a long time coming but that it was spurred by a fresh batch of intelligence gleaned from Iraqis who live in the area as well as interrogations of newly captured aides to the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

May as well use it to get rid of Assad too.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 10, 2005 8:51 AM