August 27, 2014
Approaching An Israeli Red-Line: Islamic Militants Seize Border Crossing Near Golan Heights; Overrun Southern Town In Jordan
“Islamic militants battling the Syrian government seized control of the Quneitra Border Crossing — between Syria and the Golan Heights,” according to an Israeli military spokesman. Among the fighters, were members of the al-Nusra Front, a Syrian-rebel group with ties to al Qaeda,” the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) spokesman added. While largely symbolic at this point, the town itself is of little strategic value, “the takeover represents a new dynamic in a civil war long feared not only for its deadly effects inside Syria; but, for threatening to widen into a destabilizing regional conflict,” CNN’s Ben Wedemen reports this evening.
“Essentially, you now have the Nusra Front facing off just a couple of hundred meters from the Israeli Army,” Mr. Wedeman said, adding that United Nations peace keepers are stationed between the two.”
Allen Cowell, writing on The New York Times mobile website this evening says this move “could bring Islamist forces within 200 yards of territory controlled by Israel. Yaakov Amidror, a former National Security Advisor, said reports of the Nusra Front taking control of the Quenitra crossing “could be very significant…if the group managed to link that position to its stronghold in Dara’a, in southern Syria, and other areas,”
And, according to The Daily Beast, “White House officials briefed members of the U.S. Senate…in a classified briefing that jihadists have tweeted photos and messages claiming to have seized a key southern town in Jordan. The concern expressed by the White House officials was that “Jordan could not repel a full assault from ISIS on its own at this point>” “They [Jordan], will ask for as much help as they can get,” according to other senior U.S. officials who were present for the briefings.
“Israel has also reportedly told U.S. officials that Israeli Defense Forces are prepared to take military action to save Jordan.”
None of this is good news. We have a metastasizing Islamic crisis on our hands that is on the verge of expanding into a regional conflict….and, this POTUS has yet another fund-raiser scheduled for Thursday. Maybe he can get in at least 9 holes as well. Striking against a piece of this Islamic tumor won’t work — you have to address the disease holistically. But, this POTUS has no strategy and….no clue. V/R, RCP
No comments:
Post a Comment