Israel Orders Fighter Jets to Syrian Border for More Scuzzy Muzzie Bombing

[Patriot Games]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297737,00.html

Israel Orders Fighter Jets to Syrian Border
Sunday, September 23, 2007

JERUSALEM - Israel dispatched several fighter jets toward its border with
Syria after a Syrian aircraft disappeared from Israeli air force radar
screens, Israeli military officials said Sunday, reflecting the state of
heightened tensions between the two sides over a reported Israeli air strike
in Syria earlier this month.

The Israeli jets, which did not enter Syrian airspace, returned to their
bases minutes later when it became clear the Syrian airplane had crashed.
The incident took place on Saturday, which was Yom Kippur, the holiest
Jewish holiday, when Israel's air force does not send any fighter craft into
the air unless absolutely necessary.

The day also marked, according to the Jewish calendar, the 34th anniversary
of the outbreak of the 1973 Mideast war, when the armies of Syria and Egypt
launched a sneak attack on Israel on the holiday.

The Israeli army did not comment on Saturday's incident. The officials who
spoke to The Associated Press did so on condition of anonymity because they
were not authorized to discuss classified military information with the
media.

On Thursday, Israeli fighter jets were dispatched to the northern Golan
Heights, along the border with Syria, when "suspicious activity" was
reported in the area, the military officials said. Later it was discovered
that the objects were migrating birds, the officials said.

Great numbers of migrating birds can look like drones on air force radar
screens, the officials said.

Tensions between Israel and Syria heated up this month over reports of an
Israeli airstrike in northern Syria on Sept.6. Foreign media say the Israeli
target was either arms meant for Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon or a joint
Syrian-North Korean nuclear project. Syria has denied both but announced an
incursion, but Israel has refused to comment.

Israel considers Syria one of its greatest enemies and accuses Damascus of
backing the militant organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, which has bases
there. Despite the recent tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last
week called for the reopening of peace talks, without conditions, between
the two adversaries.

Past negotiations broke down over Syria's demand for the return of the
Golan, a strategic plateau Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel
offered to go back to the international border, but Syria insisted on also
controlling another small strip of territory - the east bank of the Sea of
Galilee, which Israel captured during the 1948-49 war that accompanied its
creation.

Talks also faltered over the extent of peaceful relations Syria would offer.

 

[kT]

Patriot Games wrote:

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism. From the
prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins,
the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime
itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious.
Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common
themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a
suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia.

2. Disdain for the importance of human rights. The regimes themselves
viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the
objectives of the ruling elite. Through clever use of propaganda, the
population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by
marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was
egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation.

3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause. The most
significant common thread among these regimes was the use of
scapegoating as a means to divert the people