Syrian Raid: Details, Details

Classic war-like porn: the hapless Syrians and their mostly third world air defense system splayed mercilessly against the desert landscape, soon to be ravaged by the IDF. Hot!

Note: An air defense system said to be better than what the Iranian's employ. Who's your Daddy, now, Ahmadinejad?

IT was just after midnight when the 69th Squadron of Israeli F15Is crossed the Syrian coast-line. On the ground, Syria’s formidable air defences went dead. An audacious raid on a Syrian target 50 miles from the Iraqi border was under way.

At a rendezvous point on the ground, a Shaldag air force commando team was waiting to direct their laser beams at the target for the approaching jets. The team had arrived a day earlier, taking up position near a large underground depot. Soon the bunkers were in flames.

Very hot.

According to Israeli sources, preparations for the attack had been going on since late spring, when Meir Dagan, the head of Mossad, presented Olmert with evidence that Syria was seeking to buy a nuclear device from North Korea.

The Israeli spy chief apparently feared such a device could eventually be installed on North-Korean-made Scud-C missiles.

Comments

[Purple Avenger]

Sounds like it was a smooth job. As much as nailing whatever got nailed, I suspect the message here was political as much as military -- i.e. "we may have looked like weak inept bunglers who can't get our shit together and are scandal rocked, but don't get any bright ideas, cuz we can get our shit together if we need to and we're provoked."

[plainslow]

Did the North Korean's give us info to prove thier sincerity to us? Is'nt spring when the thaw began?

[Fred Beloit]

"The security sources and IDF [Israeli Defence[sic] Forces] soldiers are demonstrating unusual courage,” said Ehud Olmert, the prime minister. “We naturally cannot always show the public our cards.”" (TIMES Online)

What a strange idea! Keeping plans for military operations a secret. We don't do that. It is unAmerican. We publish our plans in the New York Times and talk about them on television. We feel this is the best way to keep our enemies fully informed about our cards and how we plan to play them. Now isn't that smart?

[Dusty]

I am kind of interested in the Times characterization of Syrian air defenses. What do they mean, "On the ground, Syria’s formidable air defences went dead."

I don't take that to mean it was jammed, or it would be described differently. I don't read it as a failure, such as, 'they flipped the switch on and the systems sputtered and went dark' like some manufacturing defect.

Also, the SAM systems have individual radar systems, don't they? Each unit targets for itself 'cause that's how the SAM's are guided, right?

And what about aircraft. They have radar don't they? It's there for acquiring and targeting enemy aricraft. Surely, Syria bought them with that option included, right?

I wonder if the Damascus airport turned off their radar too.

Sounds like the Syrians just turned their systems off and just let the Israelis have their way, thus saving their radar, missile systems and aircraft from being immediately targeted.

Anyway, it's a thought provoking point. What exactly did the Syrians know while it was happening and why did they react the way they did as it happened. Without knowing more, I wouldn't ascribe that occurrance to how it might occur with Iran. I wouldn't be surprised if Amadinnerjacket's nephew will be asking those types of questions, especially if Iranian money was what went up in smoke because Syria's air defenses went dark.

[GM Roper]

Dan, EXCELLENT post. Thanks for pulling it together.

[DS]

Eaton Mall had a low flying aircrft, green, that buzzed it and missed a helicopter that uses the flight it took. I guess he would hae hit something if heflew there 2 minutes later.

[K]

The operation sound like it went very well.

The NYT is probably sulking - we built the F15s and Syria, only moderately against us, got hurt by an nation that didn't let their reporters in on the planning.

I don't read them so I won't know.

[templar knight]

Hidden WMD, close to the border with Iraq, what a coincidence. Where did this nuclear material come from? Where, oh where, are all our liberal commenters? I would love to hear their response to all this.

[Purple Avenger]

"Also, the SAM systems have individual radar systems, don't they? Each unit targets for itself 'cause that's how the SAM's are guided, right?"

Some yes, some no. There are many different flavors and generations of Russian AA gear.

I would presume the Israelis sent in a few weasel flights and heavily dosed whatever lit up with HARM's.

[dumbblonde]

Are we sure these materials were for use by Syria, and not on their way to Iran?

[Robert Sullivan]

So like, when the dust settles in Iran, are you going to volunteer to go over there and make sure the Iranian's get their freedom, or are you going to continue your wankering here, safe at your keyboard? Yeah, I thought so. Instead of Riehl World, this should be Chickenhawk World, or, since that is a twist on the original meaning in Mason's book (read about it kids, learn about war), I hereby dub you, and all your cheering, wanking readers: hawkchickens. That means you profess to be hawks, but when it comes down to it, y'all are chickens.

"You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go"