The Iraqis are responding by putting more forces on the border with Syria:
Iraq has deployed thousands of reinforcements along its border with Syria to prevent insurgents from crossing the desert frontier, as the government said Friday it has provided Syria with evidence linking Iraqis there to bombings.
Extra police were sent to the border this week on the prime minister's orders in response to the government's assertion that former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party based in Syria planned and financed last month's attacks against the foreign and finance ministries, said Maj. Gen. Tariq Youssef, the police commander in western Iraq.
Iraq is seeking the extradition of two suspects, but Syria has refused, demanding to see proof of their involvement. The dispute has strained relations between the two countries and again put Syria on the defensive over accusations it is not doing enough to stop cross-border attacks.
The Aug. 19 truck bombings outside the government ministries in Baghdad killed about 100 people. Iraq has blamed an alliance between al-Qaida in Iraq and the outlawed Baath Party.
Syria has been an enemy of Iraq for some time, siding with Iran in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War and serving as Iran's loyal tamed Arab poodle since the overthrow of Saddam.
In time, Iraq forces will be good enough to cross the border and go after Iraqi Baathists or Syrian targets involved in this Syrian aggression. They'll do it safe in the knowledge that American forces are right there to deter Syrian reaction.
And eventually, the Iraqis will be strong enough to march into Syria. Iraq has a long list of reasons to destroy the Baathist regime in Damascus and will put up with Syria's outrages only as long as they have to.
Consider this force deployment a down payment on the future.
