Monday, February 4, 2008

Cross Border Chases Into Syria and Iran Were Okayed


A 2005 classified document has surfaced that approved America's military to pursue former members of Saddam Hussein's government and also terrorists across borders and into Syria and Iran.
The same document is proof that the military about that time suspended the action against al Sadr in Iraq - taking him off the "wanted" list.
Now, U.S. officials are furious at the people at Wikileaks for making this document public and for obvious reasons. I'm surprised it wasn't put out first by the New York Times. But since it is out, it causes some celebration here at Holger Awakens.
This document shows the resolve of the Bush Administration and the U.S. military to hunt down terrorists even with extreme risks. Now, the Nancy Pelosis and Harry Reids of this country will jump all over this as another example of "cowboy" diplomacy but let's face it, we are at War.
The other situation this brings up is what this could mean in the next 10 months regarding Iran and Syria. Syria has already had one nuclear site taken out by the Israelis - this shows a willingness by the Bush administration to perhaps test some borders with Iran and Syria.
I think it is obvious that the U.S. has certainly explored all of the possible routes of special ops forces into Iran and at the same time, if an okay was put out in 2005 for ground troops to cross a border, that... to me, shows a willingness to cross those borders with air power. The document covers flying over borders (more than likely with Apaches) but it could signal the idea of crossing a border to take out a nuclear facility. Perhaps? :smile:
This should make the Iranians just a tad nervous. Good.

Here's the full story.


Cross-border chases from Iraq O.K., U.S. document says

American military forces in Iraq were authorized to pursue former members of Saddam Hussein's government and terrorists across Iraq's borders into Iran and Syria, according to a classified 2005 document that has been made public by an independent Web site.
The document, which was disclosed by the organization Wikileaks and which American officials said appeared authentic, outlined the rules of engagement for the American division that was based in Baghdad and central Iraq that year.
It also provided instructions for how to deal with the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr: his status as a hostile foe was "suspended," and he and his key associates were not to be attacked except in self-defense.
Wikileaks, a Web site that encourages posting of leaked materials, says its goal in disclosing secret documents is to reveal "unethical behavior" by governments and corporations. It has previously posted the United States military's manual for operating its prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; a military assessment of a 2004 attack in Falluja; and lists of American military equipment in Iraq.
The American military command in Baghdad on Sunday sharply criticized the group's decision to post the document.

The 2005 document covers the procedures used by Multi-National Division Baghdad, the American unit that operated in the Iraqi capital and central Iraq. At a time when sectarian divisions had brought Iraq to a low-level civil war, the document suggests that capturing and killing former members of Saddam's government was still a concern.
In a section on crossing international borders, the document said the permission of the American defense secretary was required before American forces could cross into or fly over Iranian or Syrian territory. Such actions, the document suggested, would probably also require the approval of President George W. Bush.
But the document said that there were cases in which such approval was not required: when American forces were in hot pursuit of former members of Saddam's government or terrorists.

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