BEYOND THE DROPZONE

BREAKING: Syrian Commandos in Lebanon?

Posted by W. Thomas Smith Jr. on 14 September 2008 at 11:36 am UTC

By W. Thomas Smith Jr. 

Lebanese and Israeli media are reporting at least two Syrian commando (special operations) battalions have crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border into north Lebanon and taken up positions in seven Alawite-controlled villages.

According to Naharnet and DEBKAfile, “the battalions were accompanied by reconnaissance and engineering units.�

EXACTLY ONE WEEK AGO, WE REPORTED: “‘hundreds’ of Syrian commandos, preceded by ‘dozens’ of Syrian intelligence operatives, have crossed into northern Lebanon near the Lebanese village of Hekr el Dahr a few kilometers from the Mediterranean coast.�

We also reported that the incursions reportedly had been taking place since Wednesday-Thursday (Sept. 3-4) of the previous week, and that Syrian helicopters had been observed operating on the Syrian side of the border, and tanks and artillery pieces have been spotted and reported.

If true, the new information reaffirms what we already knew: that is the Iranian-Syrian-Hezbollah axis is manipulating Western media in Lebanon for their own ends. This does not mean to say that all media in Lebanon is corrupt (There are fine journalists in Lebanon doing tremendous work.). What it does mean – and as I have reported since September of 2007 – is there are huge, in-your-face stories of great strategic significance taking place in Lebanon involving Iranian, Syrian, and Hezbollah military/intelligence exercises and operations that are NOT be reported.

This has been proven time-and-again since a handful of Western media (primarily bloggers) said this was not the case months ago. The revelation of Hezbollah’s telecommunications system in May of 2008 (which we first reported in 2007), confirmation by counterterrorism experts of previously UNREPORTED Hezbollah military exercises, exact and accurate predictions of when and how Hezbollah would launch its attacks in May, and the overall strength and activities of Hezbollah nationwide all confirm this.

UPDATE (Sept. 14, 5:30 pm Eastern): LBC in Lebanon reported the DEBKAfile story just after 8:00 pm (Beirut time). But the Lebanese Army quickly issued a statement denying the reports. Keep in mind, the Army general staff and Army intelligence are both closely connected to Syria, as is the former Army commander-in-chief (now president) Michel Sleiman.

UPDATE (Sept. 15, 9:00 am Eastern): Naharnet is reporting that both Lebanese Army and national police forces are denying that two Syrian commando battalions have crossed into north Lebanon and “taken up positions in seven Alawite-controlled villages.”

As we know, the problem of disinformation in Lebanon is legion (and for reasons which I’ve previously mentioned).

Also keep in mind that Lebanese security forces – which proclaimed that all was under control (when it was not) during the first few hours of the Hezbollah offensive May, which has failed to confront Hezbollah, which has failed to arrest Quds fighters and Syrian intelligence operatives in Lebanon, which has failed to determine who precisely is assassinating Lebanese leaders – is losing credibility among the civil society in that country. The Army has issued a statement of denial in this instance regarding Syrian special forces, but, according to sources, has held no press conference permitting questions in the matter.

Independent sources are telling us that there is much more to this than has officially been made public.

We will have more as the information develops and as our sources report.

— Visit W. Thomas Smith Jr. online at uswriter.com.

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