Monday, October 27, 2008

Persian Chutzpah?

Our raid into Syria that targeted the smuggling network that feeds Sunni Arab jihadis into Iraq seems to have hit something of value:

The Syrian government said Sunday's attack by four U.S. military helicopters targeted a civilian building under construction in Sukkariyeh shortly before sundown, and killed eight people, including four children.

However, local officials said seven men were killed and two people were wounded, including a woman. An AP reporter saw the bodies of seven men at the funerals Monday.

Amateur video taken by a villager on a cell phone Sunday showed four helicopters flying overhead as villagers pointed to the skies in alarm. The grainy images, viewed Monday by the AP, did not show the helicopters landing.

Another villager told the AP he saw at least two men taken into custody by U.S. forces, and whisked away by helicopter. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his life.


I've mentioned before that if you believe our enemies, we have child-seeking missiles. The Syrians claim half the dead are children. Witnesses contradict this allegation.

And we pulled out prisoners, it seems. I hope we grabbed computers and flash drives, too.

I remain astounded that the Syrians dare complain about our single attack after five and a half years of Syrian actions that supported a terrorism campaign inside Iraq that killed Americans and a lot more Iraqis.

The Iranians, too, are amazingly enough, complaining:

Spokesman Hasan Qashqavi told reporters on Monday that a violation of the territorial integrity of any sovereign state is unacceptable.


Excuse me? And Iran is doing what in the region?

Iran is supplying weapons to "liberation armies" in the Middle East, a top Revolutionary Guards commander said, offering the first official confirmation the country provides weapons to armed groups in the region.


This activity has been clear for some time and I've wondered what the mullahs are up to.

The world is funny that way. One strike and we've launched a war. But Iran can wage war on us for years and even decades, and prepare for a regional war, and nobody seems to notice.

I'd call it supreme Iranian chutzpah, but is it really when the world refuses to acknowledge what they do? I mean really, why on earth should Ahmadinejad be exhausted?