Debka (salt to taste) says:Exclusive Middle East sources have tracked down the top Iraqi leadership's bolt-hole. It is a large 1,600-room luxury resort with 600 meters of private sandy beach in the Mediterranean coastal town of Latakiya called Cote d'Azur De Cham Resort, prepaid and chartered in toto by Baghdad.
The group may include Saddam Hussein or his sons, but this is not confirmed.
The hotel is located close to the Assad family villa.
Top Iraqi officials are reported hiding there since March 23, four days after the US-led coalition invaded Iraq. They are guarded by a Syrian commando unit armed with anti-air missiles while Syrian naval missile boats secure the port. That would sure fit the rest of the puzzle pretty well (I mean the part where the U.S. invades Syria next.) What could possibly be in it for Syria?
Here's an Asia Times report of a pipeline project from northern Iraq to Israel through Syria. One would think this would not happen if the present regime in Syria stays in power.
(Anyone have an opinion on the Asia Times?)
Could it explain this sabotage story? Not seen elsewhere. The Syria story is too close to the Israeli government's interests to trust Debka alone on, I reckon. Asia Times has had interesting stories over the past week, don't know if they have any axes to grind.
I've seen various versions of the "Rumor: Saddam in Syria" story, mostly in the south Asian press.
Saddam has hide in Syria before. Back in 1959 after being shot and then sentinced to death in absentia. You may as well look at Syria as a backyard to Iraq.
is that cafe del mar on ibiza or del mar as in Top Gun navy fighter training? one wonders...
anyway, more recently there was an incident in 2000, as related by Kenneth Pollack in The Threatening Storm, in which Saddam apparently made a deal with Bashar Assad to send troops into Syria, presumably to threaten Israel -- a few Republican Guard divisions started heading for the Syrian border and he only called them back when the US and Brits threatened to escalate bombing if they crossed.
What seemed so strange about this story was that ASSAD would allow it to happen. His father hated Saddam. Why would you want that guy's tanks in your country?
Now, imagine you're Assad when this war is getting rolling. Basically the two outcomes are
A) US retreats from Middle East intervention for a long time after failed attempt to rally coalition and/or unacceptable casualties, Saddam becomes the new Bin Laden-y hero to all Arabs plus gains further influence with Europeans, potential pipeline built thru Syria to Mediterranean
or
B) Saddam's toast, you got no friend, Sharon is comin' for ya and Daddy Don Rumsfeld's up yer behind.
Which one would you go to bat for?
If they DIDN'T do every possible thing to support Saddam they were idiots.
Remember also that Saddam has a history of hiding arms in other countries -- during the Gulf War he flew all the Iraqi fighters to IRAN to keep them safe. Predictably, when the war was over and he asked for them back, Iran told him to go fuck himself.
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- jim 4-03-2003 6:54 pm
Here's an Asia Times report of a pipeline project from northern Iraq to Israel through Syria. One would think this would not happen if the present regime in Syria stays in power.
(Anyone have an opinion on the Asia Times?)
- jim 4-03-2003 7:02 pm
Could it explain this sabotage story? Not seen elsewhere. The Syria story is too close to the Israeli government's interests to trust Debka alone on, I reckon. Asia Times has had interesting stories over the past week, don't know if they have any axes to grind.
- bruno 4-03-2003 7:44 pm
I've seen various versions of the "Rumor: Saddam in Syria" story, mostly in the south Asian press.
- mark 4-03-2003 9:59 pm
Saddam has hide in Syria before. Back in 1959 after being shot and then sentinced to death in absentia. You may as well look at Syria as a backyard to Iraq.
- Del Mar Joe (guest) 4-04-2003 11:30 pm
is that cafe del mar on ibiza or del mar as in Top Gun navy fighter training? one wonders...
anyway, more recently there was an incident in 2000, as related by Kenneth Pollack in The Threatening Storm, in which Saddam apparently made a deal with Bashar Assad to send troops into Syria, presumably to threaten Israel -- a few Republican Guard divisions started heading for the Syrian border and he only called them back when the US and Brits threatened to escalate bombing if they crossed.
What seemed so strange about this story was that ASSAD would allow it to happen. His father hated Saddam. Why would you want that guy's tanks in your country?
Now, imagine you're Assad when this war is getting rolling. Basically the two outcomes are
A) US retreats from Middle East intervention for a long time after failed attempt to rally coalition and/or unacceptable casualties, Saddam becomes the new Bin Laden-y hero to all Arabs plus gains further influence with Europeans, potential pipeline built thru Syria to Mediterranean
or
B) Saddam's toast, you got no friend, Sharon is comin' for ya and Daddy Don Rumsfeld's up yer behind.
Which one would you go to bat for?
If they DIDN'T do every possible thing to support Saddam they were idiots.
Remember also that Saddam has a history of hiding arms in other countries -- during the Gulf War he flew all the Iraqi fighters to IRAN to keep them safe. Predictably, when the war was over and he asked for them back, Iran told him to go fuck himself.
- big jimmy 4-08-2003 10:25 pm