By Patricia Lee Sharpe
We know from past experience that the Bush administration and its political advisors will do anything, however scurrilous, to win an election. Did the White House set out to provoke Syria on October 26th, a week before election day, in a last ditch effort to get John McCain elected in spite of grim poll numbers?
The NYT this morning reveals that, since 2004, a secret executive order has permitted the U.S. military to raid across borders in 15 to 20 nations, an outgrowth of the Bush preemption policy. Usually these forays did not need explicit presidential approval. However, according to the article, only the president could authorize raids into Pakistan and Syria.
The article also reveals that there have been “several” previous raids into Syria:
Since the Iraq war began...Special Operations forces several times have made cross border raids aimed at militants and infrastructure aiding the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq. The raid in late October, however, was more noticeable than the previous raids...which helps explain why it drew a sharp protest from the Syrian government.Was the October 26th raid designed expressly to evoke a public protest? Did the President intend to create an incident the Syrians couldn’t ignore so that the resulting squawks from Israel's enemy would throw the imminent election to the candidate running on his military record, to the candidate who would reassure the voters that their safety would be in "experienced" hands if he won, to the candidate who has staunchly supported Bush's unnecessary war in Iraq?
It would, sadly, be in character for this administration.
Fortunately, it didn't work.