Israel air strike on Syrian science center

[Petrucci]

I've just heard about this. There was not any related thread so I decide to open it.
If this is true(not yet confirmed by Jewish gov) then it looks like we are having another case of typical Israel preventive foreign policy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...-repercussions

[motiv-8]

Although the ostensible source is the Guardian, the only people who are claiming anything about a strike on a "science center" is Syrian State TV and Hezbollah media.

[Slaytaninc]

Israel is hardly the only outside power interfering in Syria.

Russia and the Arab League both are interfering in Syria and were the first to condemn it. The US has also done its part.

Ah, the shadowy world of covert ops. Act with one hand, deny with the other.

[Petrucci]

While this is true, Israeli gov is still silent.

[motiv-8]

And in all likelihood will continue to be, as they have a general policy of not making remarks on strikes they conduct unless it's a sustained operation like the ones in Gaza or in Lebanon in 2006.

[Petrucci]

Nice said Slaytannic. So you guys think this is a sporadic incident and it will be forgotten for one week?

[motiv-8]

Pretty much. Syria obviously is in no position to do anything about it -- and never were, even without the revolution -- and Hezbollah is likely too busy trying to save Assad's crumbling regime to start another conflict with Israel.

[s.rwitt]

wtf is a science center?

[removeduser_4536284751384]

wtf is a science center?

It's where they do science man! Is Isreal against science? For shame!

[Menelik_I]

wtf is a science center?

Had you no childhood ? It like the Age of Empire building where they do science.

As for the OP, taking the Syrian Government at face value is naive to the extreme, from the Lebanese villagers testimony of aircraft flights and the leaks from the Israeli press it seems it was a weapons shipments intended for Hezbollah that was blown to pieces, mostly AA missiles.

Assad cannot mobilize his army outside syria, he has to fight the rebels. His option is to use the arsenal wholly. He let it go, I doubt he will do so again. A weak arab leader is unpopular in the middle east and by attacking israel he can gain favour. If the next weapons transport to hezbullah is bombed, assad may retaliate. Israel already reinforced Syria / Lebanon / Israel border. War?

If Assad could trick the Rebels into a "unity Army against the Zionists" and have most of them mowed down by the IDF while His Allawite militias hide ... He would do it. But this would be more getting beaten up in submission by Israel than an actual war

[motiv-8]

I think it's a place where you make up names for things to cover up your convoy of SAMs and MANPADs getting blown up.

No but really, SANA stated that the facility was for scientific research and "responsible for raising the levels of resistance and self-defense." Whatever THAT means. Wikimapia, which of course relies on crowd contributions, had the place tagged as a special forces training center.

[Adar]

I think it's a place where you make up names for things to cover up your convoy of SAMs and MANPADs getting blown up.

No but really, SANA stated that the facility was for scientific research and "responsible for raising the levels of resistance and self-defense." Whatever THAT means. Wikimapia, which of course relies on crowd contributions, had the place tagged as a special forces training center.

To me that sounds like a nice way of saying "We produce biological and/or chemical weapons to learn how to defend ourselves". Which also happens to be the best explanation when you get caught producing biological and/or chemical weapons

[Surgeon]

Google says a science center is something like this


Now if video games have taught me anything, it's that buildings which look like that either let you produce bigger tanks or let you fire space laser cannons.

[Jaketh]

Google says a science center is something like this


Now if video games have taught me anything, it's that buildings which look like that either let you produce bigger tanks or let you fire space laser cannons.

Image doesn't appear to work.

[Denny Crane!]

The Guardian is not an unreasonable source so I think we can be certain this is an issue, that being said there comment is unreliable. Can we have another source?

[mrmouth]

The US State Dept has already commented on it in a warning to Syria about shipping weapons to Hezbollah. And Syria lodged a complaint with the UN saying they will retaliate. So something happened within Syrian territory.

And one of the top Syrian defectors of late has commented that this "science center" (whether hit or not) was/is indeed an advanced weapons lab. Shocker.

I don't blame Israel for this move at all despite how I hate the current government. Simply cannot allow advanced manpads into the hands of Hezbollah. It wouldn't be a counter to anything. It wouldn't prevent violence.

[Salah ad Din Yusuf]

Assad cannot mobilize his army outside syria, he has to fight the rebels. His option is to use the arsenal wholly. He let it go, I doubt he will do so again. A weak arab leader is unpopular in the middle east and by attacking israel he can gain favour. If the next weapons transport to hezbullah is bombed, assad may retaliate. Israel already reinforced Syria / Lebanon / Israel border. War?

[Salah ad Din Yusuf]

If Assad could trick the Rebels into a "unity Army against the Zionists" and have most of them mowed down by the IDF while His Allawite militias hide ... He would do it. But this would be more getting beaten up in submission by Israel than an actual war

'Mowed down'? Have you forgotten hezbullah? How will the IDF 'mow down' thousands of rockets?

[Menelik_I]

'Mowed down'? Have you forgotten hezbullah? How will the IDF 'mow down' thousands of rockets?

Please lets make it a dick waving contest, if Syria was to attack Israel today and the rebels joined the fight against the IDF they would not have time to build all the network of interlocking bunkers Hezbollah has in Southern Lebanon and much less would they be experienced in fighting tanks like Hezbollah is from the first and second Lebanon wars.

But bragging rights are more fun and "CHALAHU AKBAR!" give you superpowers.

[Salah ad Din Yusuf]

Please lets make it a dick waving contest, if Syria was to attack Israel today and the rebels joined the fight against the IDF they would not have time to build all the network of interlocking bunkers Hezbollah has in Southern Lebanon and much less would they be experienced in fighting tanks like Hezbollah is from the first and second Lebanon wars.

But bragging rights are more fun and "CHALAHU AKBAR!" give you superpowers.

I did not argue they will win. I argued Israel will be attacked.