Marines Said to Tighten Iraq-Syria Border

[dArKeR]

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON - By putting a bigger force along Iraq (news - web sites)'s border with Syria, the U.S. Marines have been able to slow the infiltration of foreign fighters, a senior U.S. general said Friday.

U.S. officials have frequently cited the Syrian border as a source of foreign extremists who make their way east to the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, and in some cases to Baghdad, and attack U.S. forces.

Maj. Gen. John Sattler, the director of operations for Central Command, said in a telephone interview with Pentagon (news - web sites) reporters that the Marines have at least one-third more troops along the border than did the 82nd Airborne, which turned over the operation to the Marines last month.

Sattler spoke from Central Command's forward headquarters near Doha, Qatar.

The Marines have managed to "shut that border region down," Sattler said, later tempering his assessment by saying some foreign fighters continue to elude detection at the border.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040416/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_syrian_border_2

Why wasn't this done a year ago?

[MSgt213]

1. With what troops? There were none there to do it.

[Tempest]

2. What foreign fighters?

According to the U.S. commanders in Iraq, only 2% of the fighters are from other countries.

Throwing an elephant against an ant.

[mmm]

6. This propaganda is leading up to the invasion of Syria

Meanwhile, we are intentionally inflaming Shi'ite Muslims
to bring Iran into the fray.
This is a Crusade and I fully expect Bush to use
nuclear weapons against his new blood enemies.
The mass of stupid US citizens will support anything.
Let us hope Bush fails soon.

[0007]

8. It appears it is heading in that direction, 'eh?

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

3. Interesting...

just last night a friend told me that Syria was funding the insurgency...

Are we watching the first steps in the March to Damascus (where as we all know, Saddam sent the WMD's).

No, he can't be THAT stupid.

Can he?

[riverwalker]

4. thinkin' the same thing

all it would take is some border incident, suddenly it's a Syrian "attack" and off we go.

[peterh]

11. That was the plan with Iraq….provoke…

Woodward claims that Bush pulled Rumsfeld aside Nov. 21, 2001 - when U.S.
forces and allies were in control of about half of Afghanistan - and asked him
what kind of war plan he had on Iraq.
Senior White House officials told CNN that Bush asked Rumsfeld if Iraq would
provoke a confrontation with the U.S. - perhaps by trying to shoot down a pilot
over the no-fly zone - while the U.S. was at war in Afghanistan. Rumsfeld said
it was possible, according to the officials.
Rumsfeld said that contingency plans concerning Iraq, left over from the
Clinton administration, were outdated, and Bush told him to come up with a new
one, the officials told CNN.

[UpInArms]

5. two paragraphs that create questions

are:

The Marines' success has come at a high price, however. Sattler refused to provide specifics, but he said, "This is, as we all know, a very dangerous business and the Marines did suffer some casualties there."

As a matter of policy, the Marines since arriving in Iraq last month have withheld details about their casualties, including the location and the nature of the hostile action that caused them. One exception was an announcement on March 19 that two Marine privates were killed the day before in hostile action in Qaim, a city about six miles from the Syrian frontier.

So what are they not telling?

[daleo]

7. Yesterday, Powell was supposed to have asked Syria for help

With the Iraq situation. He even hand delivered a letter from Bush. Today, we hear marines are reinforcing the border (massing at the border?), which, let's face it, doesn't sound too healthy for the Syrians. Makes you wonder what was in the letter.

So, what's going on?

[0007]

9. Bull shit and lies are flying all over the joint daleo.

[Just Me]

10. Blah, blah, yadda yadda, propaganda, blah,...

,...same ole' sheet,...different day. Makes a non-violent activist like me wanna just punch that bully who will NEVER EVER compromise on his/her determination to force his/her will upon others. Geez, these people simply have no other orientation than to shove others into a corner,...and FORCE a violent retaliation. I can't stand these people. They make me sick!!!!