Global Research

An Obama administration official confirmed earlier this Week that Israel conducted a military strike on a Syrian base in Latakia according to a CNN report.  The Israeli government has not confirmed or denied the allegations.  Israel has claimed it was intended to disrupt the transfer of weapons headed for Hezbollah located in Southern Lebanon.  CNN reported the following:

“An explosion at a missile storage site in the area was reported in the Middle Eastern press, but an attack has not been confirmed by the Israeli government” the report also stated that the “the target, according to the Obama administration official, was missiles and related equipment the Israelis felt might be transferred to the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. The official declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the information.   There was some confusion about the timing of the attack, with some reports saying it happened Wednesday, and others saying Thursday.

Israel has launched airstrikes in the past including one in January that targeted a Syrian convoy allegedly “moving weapons to Hezbollah.”  Hezbollah has enough weapons to counter Israeli Defense Forces as they proved in 2006.  The largest Israeli news website www.ynetnews.com reported on October 29^th, 2013 that the “Shiite group rebuilt its strength, arsenal, now poses acute threat to State of Israel” and that “Hezbollah has thousands and thousands of rockets and missiles pointed at Israel and this is a problem,” Brig. Gen. (res) Amos Gilboa, who spent decades in Israeli army intelligence told The Media Line. “Hezbollah is a major threat to Israel. In the past, its firepower was mainly directed against northern Israel, but now it can also reach Tel Aviv, the heart of our industry and technology.” Did Israel strike Latakia to prevent the export of Russian made weapons from Syria to Hezbollah the real motive?  Or was it part of a plan to weaken Syria’s defense capabilities for a future invasion by the US military?

This attack comes at a moment when Syria has met demands to destroy its chemical production facilities while the US government and Saudi Arabia continue to support the rebels associated with al-Nusrah and Al-Qaeda who are well known terrorist organizations.  Reuters also reported that “One Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he thought that Israel had indeed carried out a strike. He stressed that he was not entirely certain, however.  Israel has repeatedly warned that it is prepared to use force to prevent advanced weapons, notably from Iran, reaching Lebanon’s powerful Shi’ite Muslim guerrillas through Syria. It carried out several air strikes on Syria earlier this year.”   

The truth is that Israel along with the US is trying to weaken the Syrian government’s ability to defend itself militarily.  When Libya agreed with the West to eliminate its chemical weapons in 2003, plans to oust Muammar Gaddafi were set.  Gaddafi wanted to normalize relations with the United States and the United Kingdom with his decision to eliminate Libya’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).  The Arms Control Association (ACA) released a report titled “Chronology of Libya’s Disarmament and Relations with the United States” stated the following:

On December 19, 2003, long-time Libyan President Moammar Gaddafi stunned much of the world by renouncing Tripoli’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs and welcoming international inspectors to verify that Tripoli would follow through on its commitment.

Following Gaddafi’s announcement, inspectors from the United States, United Kingdom, and international organizations worked to dismantle Libya’s chemical and nuclear weapons programs, as well as its longest-range ballistic missiles. Washington also took steps toward normalizing its bilateral relations with Tripoli, which had essentially been cut off in 1981.

Libya’s decision has since been characterized as a model for other states suspected of developing WMD in noncompliance with their international obligations to follow. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Stephen Rademaker stated May 2, 2005 during the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference that Libya’s choice “demonstrates that, in a world of strong nonproliferation norms, it is never too late to make the decision to become a fully compliant NPT state,” noting that Tripoli’s decision has been “amply rewarded.”

Libya should be a lesson.  Although Syria met its deadline by destroying their chemical weapons building capabilities, Western powers in collaboration with Israel and Saudi Arabia will continue to destabilize the Syrian government.  Washington is preparing for a military strike on Syria if President Bashir al-Assad and his government remain in power.  Many in Washington including President Barack Obama and possible future Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton along with Secretary of State John Kerry have publically stated that “Assad Must Go”.

Washington, Riyadh and Tel-Aviv want a compliant government in place that will cut ties to its allies notably Iran and Russia.  It would give Washington a strategic advantage in the region.  Once that happens, the US would then back Israel with a strike on Iran.  Then war with Russia and China can become a dangerous reality.  Washington wants to dominate the Middle East and Eurasia.  Syria is a stepping stone towards that goal.  There will be more strikes against the Syrian government and its military installations by the Israeli government in the coming weeks and months ahead.  Washington’s backed rebels will continue to advance towards Damascus committing more atrocities.

War is on the agenda even if President Assad complies with any demands made by Washington and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the international chemical weapons watchdog that oversaw the disarmament program.  Iran, Russia and China are all well aware of this fact; after all they are surrounded by numerous US military bases.