Opinion
Syrian collision course
Daniel Nisman
Published: 08.11.12, 18:53
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21 Talkbacks for this article
1. an attack against Israel is inevitable
zionist forever   (11.08.12)
When Assad feels his back against the wall he will use the remains of his splintered army to invade Israel based on some pathetic excuse in the hope it will unite the rebels against a strong president whose only wish is to defend his people from the evil zionists. When he knows its all over he might decide to go down in a blaze of glory be remembered as a heroes leader by using WMDS against Israel. We must be ready for both a conventional war and one that includes the use of WMDS. IF It looks like Assad might attack us then we must preempt rather then deciding to sit about waiting for him to fire the first shot so when we retaliate we are doing so as victims not aggressors in the eyes of the rest of the world & the UN. We also must not let Hussain Obuma do any deals on our behalf with a post Assad regime which involves giving up the Golan so Obama can get the Muslims to love him again and he can say he did something to earn his Nobel Prize.
2. Seems both Assad and the rebels are
Ben ,   fantastic Israel   (11.08.12)
trying to pull their boardering countries into their fight. Each may hope that another millitary will try and bombard their enemy. Israel must be prudent, we dont need our boys in anyone elses fight, we are not the USA! We have always had to be on our guard on our boarders anyway, lets just hope the shells stay in no mans land!
3. Yes - the Northern border could explode !.
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (11.08.12)
If an Israeli Reaction would be Nessessary, it will probably include the whole Northern Borderarea-Lebanon and Syria. Arn.Sweden.
4. If hez-bull-ah sent the first of 70,000 missiles a tactical
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (11.08.12)
nuclear response would be the only practical answer. Short, effective and powerful stop to the rockets.
5. It is very probable Syrian conflict will expand!
Jouko ,   Finland   (11.08.12)
6. tactical nuclear response?
yosef ,   williamsburg US   (11.08.12)
So you suggest bombing an area less than 50 miles from Israeli cities with a nuclear weapon??
7. Strategically 1 option left: ONENESS for SECURE BIG ISRAEL.
Jerry ,   The Netherlands   (11.08.12)
8. Israel must do what's right for Israel!
Koose E Mack ,   NY NY   (11.08.12)
If necessary, we must do everything to protect Israeli Citizens from any agression and harm; regardless of the source. Don't seek assistance from Pres. Hussein Obama....it will not come! Israel is really on its own!
9. and to think
(11.08.12)
In the coming elections, Shas, Labor, Kadima and Meretz all demand surrendering the Golan to Syria. It really is true that Leftism is a psychiatric illness.
10. #6 yosef
Albrecht Klein ,   Germany   (11.08.12)
Beirut is more than 50 miles from Israeli borders. And by the way, there are weather forecasts.
11. #8
Linichka ,   Gdynia, Poland   (11.08.12)
No news to us Israelis. Israel has ALWAYS been on its own. And managed. Beautifully.
12. #10 geography
yosef ,   williamsburg US   (11.08.12)
Well thanks herr professor for the geography lesson. Might you should recheck some of your distances...I never mentioned Beirut.
13. Return Gaza to it's rightful owner, Syria. A book of folk
(11.09.12)
stories is not a legal claim.
14. # 4 Suicide Note
David ,   London, UK   (11.09.12)
So your plan to retaliate against Hezbollah is to nuke them? What you need to do, right now is google Israel and Lebannon (that's where Hezbollah is based) and check how close they are to each other. Next look up nuclear radiation, and find out how large an area it covers... Because though you are right that a nuke would stop the missiles, the ensuing fall-out would wipe out eveyone in Lebannon, much of Syrian, the Palestinains, and...Israel! But I suppose you were one of those people who voted for Rommy and couldn't find the USA on a map let alone Israel!
15. What Israel should do is the following
Alexander ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (11.08.12)
1) To successfully keep Syrian refugees out of Israel. Threaten these refugees with deadly force and repel them with deadly force. 20% of our population is non Jewish, we have 60.000 illegal African immigrants in Israel and we have millions of Arabs in Gaza, Judea and Samaria combined. If we let more non Jews enter Israel within the "green line" (although Cis-Jordan and Trans-Jordan is de facto our historical and legal homeland) we can kiss our country good bye. More non Jews coming here is nothing short of a declaration of war. Not a single Syrian refugee should be allowed to enter or stay in Israel. We could maybe allow a few cases to have emergency surgeries in Israel and then send them back in a few days, but there will be no mass invasion or small invasion of Arabs crossing our borders. Keep all refugees out. 2) Israel will most likely be provoked to enter the Syrian civil war. What Israel should do is not to pick sides or to aid one side against the other or to rebuild the Syrian society from within like USA did in Iraq. Israel should cripple Syria's military capabilities to the fullest extent. Take out radar installations, the power grid, the tanks, the navy and the air force - in swift, short highly intensive attacks that will entirely surprise the Syrians. Israel should avoid a full scale war and a full confrontation and a prolonged war at any cost - not because Israel can't fight it, but because our soldiers will die and it will be a burden to our economy. Now then ever, Israel needs a strong economy. If Israel needs to strike, it needs to be intensely efficient, aggressive, short in time span with a deadly crippling effect - paralyzing Syria's military. That way, Syria cannot and will not provoke Israel to enter a prolonged conflict since Syria would lack the means to attack Israel. 3) Once Israel has crippled Syria, Israel should take control of the chemical biological weapons in Syria and bring them to Israel. That way - Syria will not be able to launch any chemical biological attacks on Israelis. To conclude: keep the refugees away, deliver a deadly crippling blow to Syria's military, steal Syria's chemical biological weapons and bring them to Israel - but avoid a prolonged full scale war with the Syrians. And Israel shouldn't declare its intentions in a Ehud Barak - style, but to keep its intentions secret - until the very moment Syria is surprised by an Israeli attack.
16. #15 another idea
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (11.09.12)
The war in Syria will end when victorious Sunni use weapons that Obama gave them to genocide Alawi, Shia, Christians and maybe Druze. The only possible non-genocide solution is many small ethnically pure cantons. How about we offer a real peaceful solution? 1 to 1 population exchange. We take one Syrian refugee (Christians, Druze, Alawi first) and give a Sunni Muslim currently living in Israel back to Syria.
17. Alexander meine furher,
(11.09.12)
You're so funny!! 20% of non Jews? So what? Israel belonged once to the Jews as well as others... Did you know that?
18. #11-I agree....
Koose E Mack ,   NY NY   (11.09.12)
You're preaching to the choir! Are we married?
19. #15 Alexander Tel Aviv Kudo's To You My Friend
(11.09.12)
Once Again Spelled Out Beautifully!!!! If Only Bibi and Lt.Gen.B.Gantz could execute this plan? ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shabbat Shalom/Baruch Ha Shem
20. #14
(11.11.12)
Ahem......... You may want to reconsider your spelling of the name of the republican contender. Word to the wise, if you are going to take other people's political general knowledge to task, make sure yours is tip-top.
21. Alexander...Kudos to your plan
Koose E Mack ,   NY NY   (11.11.12)
Alivii that it would work!
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