It appears that Baghdad is becoming safe enough for more foreign embassies to re-open. Well… safe enough for the Syrians:
Syria plans to reopen soon its embassy in Baghdad for the first time since Damascus sided with Iran in its 1980-88 war with Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, Iraq’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Syria also pledged to stem the flow of foreign guerrillas into Iraq and said it had already stopped 70,000 of them, it said.
Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Hamed al-Bayati said he had met a security and diplomatic delegation over the past two days — the first such high-level Syrian visit since U.S. troops toppled Saddam in 2003. He said the delegation included Syria’s future ambassador to Iraq, Mohammed Sayed al-Bunni.
“We discussed bilateral diplomatic relations and they expressed their interest in sending an ambassador as soon as possible,” Bayati told Reuters.
Woo, boy. Nothing like the stabilizing presence of Syria to help the cause.
“They said that they are looking for a secure site for the embassy. Once they find it they could send an ambassador within a week.”
I have an idea. Why don’t you ask the insurgents streaming across your borders what they plan on blowing up, and then don’t put your embassy anywhere near those locations. On second thought, put it close to those locations.
Bayati said that the Syrian delegation had also pledged help in securing the borders which Baghdad and Washington say foreign fighters are crossing to wage attacks in Iraq alongside indigenous Sunni Arab insurgents.
Gee. Thanks. Not that this administration has any room to talk when it comes to porous borders.
tom scott
Unlike the sterling performances of previous administrations.
p.lukasiak
Syria also pledged to stem the flow of foreign guerrillas into Iraq and said it had already stopped 70,000 of them, it said.
70,000!?!?!?
either A) Syria is lying or
B) we’re in much deeper shit in terms of worldwide terrorism than I ever imagined
I think I’ll go with A.
p.lukasiak
Lets not forget that there are two sides of that border, and it has traditionally been rather porous. (nomads don’t recognize artificial boundaries in the desert). Nor should we forget that there are two sides of a border, and that both sides bear equal responsibility for maintaining that border’s integrity.
The Syrian-Iraq border is 360 miles long. Syria, of course, is not a wealthy nation, nor is its military technology up to speed. In order to place guards every 20 or so yards (working eight hour shifts) you’d need slightly over 90,000 more soldiers. (based on 8 hour guard shifts)
Where are those guards supposed to come from? Syria? Are we offering to pay for them?
If only we could get 90,000 College Republicans to enlist….
brooksfoe
>70,000!?!?!?
Did we say 70,000? We meant 70,000,000. That is…700.
In other news, the national steel production plant has again exceeded its production quota for the year…
Lee
Of course they want to open their embassy in Bagdad. It will be a shorter trip to get their fighters to the front.
Soldier's Dad
“70,000”
On European adding machines, the comma is used as the decimal point.
So Syria has stopped 70 point 000 foreign fighters.
Amazing what gets lost in translation.
Barry
Another: “Not that this administration has any room to talk when it comes to porous borders.”
tom scott:
“Unlike the sterling performances of previous administrations.”
Damn straight. I remember the millions, nay BILLIONS of US troops slain by the incompetance of the Evul Klinooon, by failing to close the border with Syria, after a f*cked-up invasion of Iraq.