Smoke Rising from US embassy in Syria

[The Straight Story]

So far, just on the radio (coast to coast AM) will update with link when I get it.


10:35 Witnesses say explosions heard near U.S. embassy in Damascus (AP)
10:32 Damascus witness: It appears U.S. embassy is coming under attack (Sky News)
10:25 Witnesses: Syrian forces surround U.S. embassy in Damascus, seal off area (Reuters)
10:22 Witnesses: Heavy gunfire heard in central Damascus (Reuters)
10:21 Black smoke said rising from area around U.S. embassy in Damascus (Reuters)


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

[insanity]

1. I caught a blurb about it on CNN

I came on to see what was up.

[The Straight Story]

2. see my update (nt)

[Freedom_from_Chains]

22. Same here, looks like it is over now. n/t

[niceypoo]

33. So much for "No terror attacks on the US since 911"

[INDIA]

61. I think the talking point is...

"IN the US since 911" since out troops in Iraq and Afghanistan come under attack every single day. I'd also assume the "Green Zone" civillian complex is under pretty regular attack from mortar fire etc.

[sidpleasant]

68. And the "no attack since 9/11" talking point is wrong!

There absolutely has been a terror attack in the US since 9/11. Republicans would like everyone to forget the as - yet - unsolved anthrax attacks, in which the deadly pathogen was mailed to a number of journalists and politicians. Kinda spoils the GOP's "Bush has kept us all safe" nonsense, doesn't it?

[INDIA]

70. Absolutely correct.

Thank you.

[wordpix]

63. that is such spin---what about attacks in Iraq and on our allies in

England, Australia, Spain and Germany? Not to mention, Israel.

BushCo and we are damn lucky we haven't had another attack on US soil but there are attacks on the US and its allies all over the world.

[praeclarus]

3. i thought...

... false flag operations were October surprise fodder.

[wakeme2008]

4. bbc front page has one line about gun shoots but

no more at this time.

[maddezmom]

5. Reuters:Gunfire near U.S. embassy in Damascus

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Smoke rose from the Rawda area housing the U.S. embassy in central Damascus on Tuesday and the sound of heavy gunfire was heard around the complex, witnesses said.

The witnesses said Syrian security forces had surrounded the embassy building and sealed off the area.

No other details were immediately available.

The area also houses vital security installations and the houses of the most senior officials in the Syrian government.

"It appears that the embassy is coming under attack," one resident in the area told Reuters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060912/ts_nm/syria_embassy_dc

[flordehinojos]

6. okay, the lebanon/israeli wardid not evolve into WWIII thank God however *

is looking for his next war and has he covertly found another REICHSTAG now with which to continue to solidify his iron grab of this country and the emotions of those who still support him and the ones he hopes will continue to support after further REICHSTAG type attacks/assaults on the U.S.A.

Beware of Bush's evil mind, his power grab, his insane need for power and control, and his need never to let go.

[Eurobabe]

7. Listening to BBC in Europe right now

Gunshots being fired, area on embassy row cordoned off, not letting people in or out. Possible explosion(s), US embassy not on fire as earlier reported. Syrian forces on the ground.

[Up2Late]

8. CNN just switched to the CNN/International feed, but FOX "news" is still..

...milking 9/11. :evilgrin:

[Syrinx]

10. I wish CNN International WAS CNN

I guess we Americans are just too dumb to get real news.

[Eurobabe]

12. yeah, I can actually get Al-Jazeera

where I am, but can't understand it. CNN is NOT CNN International, the difference in programming is huge. CNN is Chicken Noodle News home brewed for 'Muricans. (ugh)

[Syrinx]

13. I have Directv, and they used to carry CNN International

But as far as I can tell it has been wiped from their listings. Not sure if that coincided with Newscorps purchase of DirecTv. But probably.

[Up2Late]

19. I have it on Comcast Digital Cable, but regular CNN has been...

...getting more and more of CNN/Internationals air time (wire time?) lately, really sucks.

Comcast just keeps adding channels, I found I now have "The Tennis Channel" and 2 NFL Channels too.

[Syrinx]

21. the NFL channel isn't bad

I don't watch it a lot, but it's good when everything else is an infomercial.

Not sure if I get it now, but the Golf Channel is the most boring network. Way more boring than C-SPAN. :)

[Kolesar]

29. Or, ...CNN was CNN International...? ... eom ...

[Eurobabe]

9. Two armed men attacked US embassy

gunman blew up a car outside the embassy and exchanged gunfire with guards. (live from BBC) Doesn't sound like a major attack, but something done by a small group.

[wordpix]

64. I hear four this morning on CNN

[Up2Late]

11. CNN is now reporting the Gunman just blew up a Car Bomb!

I guess everyone is "safer" now. :banghead:

[radfringe]

14. Major booga-booga time?

is this the October Surprise come early? A September Gift for the Repubs?

[Sherman A1]

17. No this would be the September reminder

of all the bad guys out there - leading to the October Surprise. All in time.....

[Eurobabe]

23. Ronald Dumbsfeld sez:

[wordpix]

65. nice graphic! LOL, comic but truthful relief, thanks

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

24. Yup.

Nobody ever actually blows up American embassies.

[Jacobin]

30. I think this would be retaliation

As in: "When you go blow up someone's shit, they'll probably want to come blow up your shit."

Pretty simple, really.

[ClintonTyree]

15. Blasts heard at Foreign Embassies in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria - Gunmen apparently blew up a car outside the U.S. Embassy and exchanged fire with Syrian guards in a bold attack inside Damascus' diplomatic neighborhood Tuesday, a witness said.

It was not immediately clear if there were casualties. A U.S. Marine guard who answered the phone at the Embassy would not provide any information. In Washington, the State Department said it had no immediate information and was looking into news reports of the attack.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060912/ap_on_re_mi_ea/syria_gunfire

[Pert_UK]

16. Latest from BBC - foiled bomb attempt?

"The US embassy in Damascus is reported to have come under attack, with reports of heavy gunfire and loud explosions.

Security forces have sealed off the Rawda area, which houses other embassies, security installations and senior officials' residences...

A security source told the BBC it is believed Syrian forces may have foiled a bomb attack on the US embassy.

Ambulances and fire engines were seen rushing to the area through the mid-morning traffic. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/5337458.stm

[Scurrilous]

18. Four die in bid to storm U.S. embassy in Syria

<snip>

"Four attackers were killed Tuesday, as Syrian security forces foiled an apparent bid to storm the U.S. embassy in Damascus, a Syrian official said.

Two Syrian guards were reported to have been killed in the attack, which the Syrian interior minister termed a "terrorist attack."

Syrian officials said the four men shouted religious slogans, then threw a grenade into the yard of the embassy.

There was no word on the identity of the attackers, but Syrian forces clashed with Islamist militants several times last year, usually in raids to arrest them."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/761776.html

[Up2Late]

20. CNN finally has video. Looks like they are pulling dozens of Pipe bombs...

...out of a mini-van. They are also showing a burned out car and a pool of blood.

[Eugene]

25. AP: Report: China Diplomat Shot in Damascus

Report: China Diplomat Shot in Damascus


Tuesday September 12, 2006 11:01 AM

BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese diplomat in Damascus was hit by a stray bullet
and slightly injured during the attack on the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday,
a government news agency reported.

The diplomat was struck while standing on top of the Chinese Embassy
building, which is near the U.S. Embassy in the Syrian capital's diplomatic
district, the Xinhua News Agency said.

-snip-

Gunmen apparently blew up a car outside the U.S. Embassy and exchanged fire
with Syrian guards. The Syrian government said security forces killed three
attackers.

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6074395,00.html

[leftchick]

26. 3 killed outside U.S. embassy in Syria

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060912/ap_on_re_mi_ea/syria_gunfire

DAMASCUS, Syria - Gunmen apparently blew up a car outside the U.S. Embassy and exchanged fire with Syrian guards on Tuesday in a brazen attack on Damascus' diplomatic neighborhood. Syrian security forces killed three of the attackers, the government said.

The Interior Ministry, which is in charge of police, said a fourth assailant was wounded in what it called a "terrorist attack." The report, carried on state-run television, said an investigation was under way.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman confirmed the attack on the American Embassy by "unknown assailants" and said the event appears to be over.

"Local authorities have responded and are on the scene," spokesman Kurtis Cooper said. He said he had no further information.

[threadkillaz]

27. I thought we added Syria to the Axis of Evil countries.

Monday, 6 May, 2002, 22:40 GMT 23:40 UK
US expands 'axis of evil'

The United States has added Cuba, Libya and Syria to the nations it claims are deliberately seeking to obtain chemical or biological weapons.

In a speech entitled "Beyond the Axis of Evil", US Under Secretary of State, John Bolton said that the three nations could be grouped with other so-called "rogue states" - Iraq, Iran and North Korea - in actively attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction.

He also warned that the US would take action.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1971852.stm





If we include Syria in the 6-country Axis of Evil as of 2002, then

WHY DO WE HAVE AN EMBASSY IN SYRIA ANYWAYS????

That is not called keeping Americans safer.

[acmavm]

35. Why shouldn't we have an embassy in Syria? What exactly

have they done to the United States? And I want proof along with any accusations.

I bet the Middle Eastern countries have their own 'axis' of evil. And guess who's at the top of the list.

[treestar]

52. Plus it appears that it was Syrians who defended our embassy

And lost their lives doing it.

[Cooley Hurd]

28. Soledad O asks Andrea Koppell : "Any reason WHY this would happen?"

:eyes::banghead:

To her credit, Koppell said, "Soledad, it's no secret that the US is unpopular, even REVILED in the Middle East..."

[KyndCulture]

34. well that's a big no shit.

Jeez Soledad... shut your model spokeswoman pie hole.

[ShortnFiery]

53. Soledad goes by the apt nickname "SoSoBad" ; ) n/t

[formercia]

31. Nothing happens in Syria without the knowledge

of Syrian Intelligence.

[The Stranger]

37. The "enemy" is all-knowing and must be feared!

Please. :eyes:

[enigma000]

38. Well Syria is a police state

And the Syrian security forces are known to be very effective. People who are threats to the regime are hunted down ruthlessly and killed.

Still, the fact the Syrian authorities stopped this attack suggests they were not involved.

[The Stranger]

46. And apparently things do happen without the knowledge of Syrian intel --

however much a "police state" they copmrise -- else there would never have been an attack in the first place.

[treestar]

58. This is not a threat to their regime.

Are you claiming LIHOP for this attack?

[enigma000]

66. No, most likely this operation was missed by Syrian intelligence

Any attack on a foreign embassy would be tantamount to an attack on the Ba'ath regime. If you can't protect embassies and foreign diplomats, the credibility of a national government slips: both domestically and internationally.

[treestar]

69. The Kenyan government and the Tanzanian government are still

there, though. Or have they been overthrown? Maybe they have. The Iranian government is those who controlled the attack took the government over from those who were in charge when it happened and failed to prevent it, so that does fit in.

But at least they'd concentrate their "intelligence" on threats to their regime first, still you do give a motive for them picking out threats to embassies.

[formercia]

71. Syria of all places

lots of softer targets than that. Plenty of countries where they might have done more damage. It smells.

The " car bomb" car didn't look like any car bomb to me, just a burned-out car.

[formercia]

45. I was hoping for something besides a Carp.

lol

[seafan]

32. AP: Gunmen try to take U.S. Embassy in Syria

Gunmen try to take U.S. Embassy in Syria

ALBERT AJI
Associated Press
September 12, 2006

DAMASCUS, Syria - Islamic militants attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in Damascus on Tuesday using automatic rifles, hand grenades and at least one van rigged with explosives, the government said. Four people were killed in the brazen attack, including three of the assailants.
No Americans were hurt, and the attackers apparently did not breach the high walls surrounding the embassy's white compound in the city's diplomatic neighborhood.

snip

The attack came at a time of high tension between the United States and Syria over the recent Israeli-Hezbollah war in neighboring Lebanon. In Damascus the sentiment has become increasingly anti-American sentiment.
Syria has seen previous attacks by Islamic militants. In June, Syrian anti-terrorism police fought Islamic militants near the Defense Ministry in a gunbattle that killed five people and wounded four.

After Tuesday's attack, pools of blood lay splattered on the sidewalk outside the embassy, along with a burned car apparently used by the attackers. A sports utility vehicle with U.S. diplomatic tags had a bullet hole through its front window, and the glass windows of nearby guard houses also were shattered.

snip

Television footage showed a delivery van loaded with pipe bombs strapped to large propane gas canisters outside the Embassy. Had the bombs detonated, the explosions would have caused massive damage.
The footage also showed the charred remains of a smaller car parked several feet behind the van.
A Syrian who works at the American Embassy, contacted by telephone, said there were no U.S. casualties. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident started just after 10 a.m.

snip

[chat_noir]

36. Syria, one of the main backers of the Lebanese group Hezbollah...

Bloomberg

U.S. Compound

The U.S. operates a large and heavily-guarded compound in the city. The U.S. recalled its ambassador from Syria in February 2005 after Syrian officials were implicated in the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin is the top officer at the mission, according to the embassy's Web site.

Syria, one of the main backers of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization and which fought a 33-day war with Israel in Lebanon.

[Trajan]

41. The 'main supporters' of Hezbollah ....

Are the Lebanese Arabs who would otherwise suffer severe economic and social dislocations without them ....

I have a thought > IF Israel and the United States were to provide job training, decent food and housing assistance, low interest loans for infrastructure development, etc > MAYBE then Hezbollah wouldnt be so popular in Lebanon .... Eh ?

Hate Hezbollah as you wish, but there is no doubt the people on the ground in Lebanon now need them more than ever .... Who else would they turn to ? ....

[ShortnFiery]

54. Any Political Group who Georgie & Dick considers "their enemy" is branded

is branded "A Terrorist Organization." Isn't that oh so convenient? :puke: :thumbsdown:

[mom cat]

39. Probably a false flag episode.

[Lurking Dem]

40. Yeah.

It's not like anyone actually hates us over there. :sarcasm:

[Zynx]

42. You know the bombing of our embassy in Beiruit back in '83?

Never happened. /sarcasm

[ShortnFiery]

55. There's no comparison ... apples and oranges. n/t

[treestar]

60. That was 23 years ago, when reality had a bigger hold on the US

That was before 911. Didn't you know 911 changed the world?

[The Stranger]

47. "They hate us for our freedoms," right?

Sounds familiar.

[Lurking Dem]

79. They hate us

for our support of Israel.

for our invasion of Iraq (and previously for sanctions against same which hurt only the weak).

for our attempt to Californicate the world.

for our hubris.

for our imposing harmful, dictatorial leaders in the Gulf states.


Need I go on?

[enigma000]

43. Whose? Syria's?

Why would they do that?

[mom cat]

50. The US.

[enigma000]

59. Syria is a difficult place to plan such an attack

The risks of exposure would be high. I believe one person was captured alive - he will have a story to tell.

The US government wouldn't risk being implicated on an attack on its own embassy.

[sofa king]

86. I'm not saying I agree with you, but...

It did turn out to be an attack by Syrians on Syrians, with no US casualties. False flag terrorism operations have been quite common in the past, with the Italians even using their own right-wing terrorists to bomb their own country and pin it on the left wing. Another typical example.

If you're running your operation correctly, the suicidal doofuses behind the trigger should never know they're working a false flag job, so the fellow who was captured will likely only be able to finger a small group of people, and it's unlikely he knows their true identities.

I will say this: Al Qaeda is working harder to keep the Republican Party in power than any other terrorist organization in the world--whether that's by cooperation or because they know idiots when they see them is still an open question to me.

[Marie26]

44. Those Israelis!

Always coming up w/convoluted, nonsensical conspiracies.

[The Stranger]

48. Right, everyone knows Israel has never done false flag operations.

:sarcasm: How dare you even think of such a thing.

[Marie26]

49. Yep.

Especially posing as Muslim extremists to attack a US embassy, something that has never happened in US history! They're wily.

[The Stranger]

84. Maybe they thought it was an Egyptian, rather than an American ship.

How dare you think such a thing!

[mom cat]

51. More likely it was the US trying to find an excuse to demolish

another Muslim nation.

[ShortnFiery]

56. Yes and any old damn event will do even if who you want to be "your enemy"

suffers more from the event, i.e., The Syrians. Our Neo-Con Administraion is not only corrupt they're shameless beyond belief. :(

[Marie26]

75. IMO

Most likely it was extremists who wanted to attack the US embassy. It's pretty common - Beirut, Nairobi, etc. US embassies are always vulnerable targets abroad. And we are now more hated than we've ever been, especially in the Middle East. I think it's a leap to assume that this is some sort of US false-flag operation w/o any evidence of such. Just IMO.

[Zynx]

76. With what army?

We don't have the forces and neither do the Israelis.

[mom cat]

85. They still have the myth that we can bomb people back to the stone age.

[treestar]

67. Doesn't even need to be, the US will still use it as an excuse to

attack Syria if they want to. Even though it was just a few people whose actions could hardly be attributed to the entire nation.

But you know how Syria hides those WMD for Saddam.

[IChing]

72. Agreed

Who benefits from this?

[Zynx]

77. Actually, Syria's government looked pretty good after this.

[wordpix]

80. that's what I think. For an "enemy state," Syria came to the US's aid

to protect the embassy

[Finder]

57. CIA secret prison in Syria...most likely under the US Embassy. n/t

[goclark]

62. They love us for our freedom

:sarcasm:

[Tight_rope]

73. Ahh...This is a great excuse to now begin the draft

so we can attack Syria. Not like the US hasn't been looking for a good reason.:beer:

[Matariki]

74. Isn't Syria one of the countries PNAC wants to go to war with?

gee, what a coincidence. I guess it's less obvious than the Iranian embassy?

[treestar]

81. Maybe there is no Iranian embassy now

I forget, but it may still be closed from 1979.

Making Syria the most obvious.

[ButterflyBlood]

87. Sheesh, do you have any clue what happened?

The US embassy IN Syria was attacked.

Syrian security forces stopped the attack.

Syria actually ends out looking better after this.

[Danascot]

78. Looks Like the Terrorists have Kicked Off

their fall campaign to help re-elect Repukes.

[treestar]

82. Maybe they do hate our freedom after all, and have finally figured

out that the most effective way to get rid of it is to elect repuklicans.

[Eugene]

83. BBC: US thanks Syria over embassy raid

Last Updated: Tuesday, 12 September 2006, 17:40 GMT 18:40 UK

US thanks Syria over embassy raid

The US has thanked Syria for foiling an attack on its embassy in Damascus.

Syria said three attackers were killed and a fourth captured as they tried
to drive two cars at the compound. One security officer was killed.

Syrian media blamed Islamic extremists but no-one has said they carried
out the attack. One car went up in flames but the second bomb failed.

The US, which lists Syria as a sponsor of terrorism, said it was grateful
that the embassy staff's safety was ensured.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5339834.stm

[ButterflyBlood]

88. This thread proves how the tinfoilers keep lacking logic

Terrorists attack US embassy in Syria, Syrian security forces beat off the attack. Does this make Syria look better or worse?

But no, it has to be a CIA black op because Muslim extremist terrorists have NEVER EVER attacked US embassies before and we all know they all mysteriously vanished off the face of the earth after Bush's selection and now every single act of terrorism is really the CIA or Mossad :sarcasm: