Curiouser and couriouser, especially considering that the Israeli defense publication DEBKAfile called this all perfectly on August 17, three days before the attack. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/24/1233633/-Events-in-Syria-Lead-Back-to-Israeli-Report-of-Imminent-US-Led-Attack-from-Jordan
On August 17, DEBKAfile, an Israeli defense blog reported that Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was in Jordan inspecting command and control facilities from which the source reported, the U.S. would lead an attack coordinated with Jordan and Israel on Syria.
That story has been little reported, except to feed follow-on rumors that the Syrian Army (we're now told by DEBKA is under the personal command of the one-legged, one-armed brother of Bashar Assad) had personally commanded Syrian troops firing off Sarin rounds from a mountaintop north of Damascus in an effort to target these same FSA and Jordanian Special Forces troops that a few days earlier were crossing the border into Southern Syria. http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Syrian-rebel-forces-trained-by-West-are-moving-towards-Damascus-324033 NOTE: This apparent piece of disinformation cites a report that appeared in Le Figaro, but it traces back to the DEBKAfile report of the 17th.
The DEBKAfile report was originally published three days before the incident in Ghorta north of Damascus. (Note that Gen. Dempsey's letter of August 19 to a NY Congressman on Tuesday was strongly skeptical of the utility of an actual U.S. military role in Syria. http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/08/21/2501781/national-security-brief-top-us-military-officer-skeptical-of-syria-intervention/ )
Here's the DEBKAfile report of August 17: http://www.debka.com/article/23199/
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Here's the DEBKAfile 8/17 article:
http://www.debka.com/article/23199/
New Centcom underground war room in Amman for US intervention in Syria
DEBKAfile Video August 17, 2013, 1:58 PM (IDT)
Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, was in Amman this week to inaugurate the Centcom’s Forward Command in Jordan manned by 273 US officers. US media correspondents were permitted to visit the new war room for the first time on condition of non-disclosure of its location and secret facilities. debkafile’s military sources report that the installation is bomb- and missile-proof against a possible Syrian attack. The US Air Force command section is in direct communication with the US, Israeli, Jordanian and Saudi Air Force headquarters ready for an order by President Barack Obama to impose a partial no-fly zone over Syrian air space.
Another section is designed to coordinate operations between US and Jordanian special forces, as well as the units trained in commando combat by US instructors in Jordan. A closed section houses CIA personnel who control the work of US agents going in and out of Syria and also a communications center.
In his briefing to US forces Thursday, Aug. 15, Gen. Dempsey commented: “Jordan lives in a very volatile region and at a very critical time in its history. They can count on us to continue to be their partner.”
He suggested that the operation could continue well into next year or beyond.
Situated atop the underground facility is a large surface structure accommodating the American military and civilian offices dealing with Syrian issues from Jordan. It is guarded by US and Jordanian security units.
There are today some 1,000 US military personnel in the Hashemite Kingdom, plus a squadron of F-16 fighters and several Patriot anti-missile batteries strung along the Jordanian-Syrian border to shield Jordanian and American bases and the capital, Amman.
This special debkafile video presentation illustrates US, Saudi, and Jordanian preparations for military intervention in the Syrian civil war and its likely repercussions.
Obama’s final decision on US military intervention – consisting of a no fly and a buffer zone in Syria – is expected in the coming two to three weeks, depending on Dempsey’s recommendations upon his return to Washington after checking out preparations in Israel and Jordan. In neither operation will US boots touch Syrian soil.
The buffer zone in the south up to Damascus would be captured by 3,000 rebels trained in special operations tactics and armed by US forces in Jordan. Jordanian special forces are to spearhead the operation under US command.
Assad may take the fight outside his borders by launching missiles against Israel, Jordan and maybe Turkey.
Hizballah may join in with rocket attacks on Israel. Iran will beef up its active military presence in Syria and Jordan. And Russian Rapid Intervention units are on standby for saving Assad at their Black Sea and South Caucasian bases
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