Iraq Press Roundup

U.S. forces in pursuit of al-Qaida operatives struck targets in Syria near the border with Iraq Oct. 26, killing eight civilians, according to Syrian officials. The attack provoked concerns from Baghdad over a possible retaliation.

U.S. forces launched the attack on Syria to send a message to Iran proving they can and will carry out attacks against enemies of the United States, Kitabat newspaper said Thursday.

Why did the United States strike Syria, and why now?

Provisions in the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement between Washington and Baghdad stipulate the U.S. military has the right to launch attacks on any country that shows aggression. But it is too early to use that for justification, as the agreement has yet to be finalized, signaling that Baghdad may have given its tacit approval to the document.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his supporters, some of whom have strong ties to Iran, announced their approval of the draft agreement after receiving reassurances the U.S. military would not attack the Islamic Republic.

The weekend U.S. military strike, however, proves Syria is the true enemy of America, not Iran. It also suggests Syria is the next target of American occupation, as Washington has tried to formulate reasons to attack Damascus, or any other country deemed a threat to Israel.

The unjustified U.S. military attack on Syria during the weekend is an evil attempt to destabilize relations between Baghdad and Damascus, Sot al-Iraq said Thursday.

Why the United States dares not attack Iran

The U.S. military operation in Syria gave Damascus the excuse it needed to allow foreign fighters to enter Iraq through its borders in order to attack U.S. forces. Neither Baghdad nor Washington considered the fact that these fighters often target Iraqi civilians, the news service said.

Despite evidence of continued Iranian meddling in Iraq, Washington turns a blind eye to the matter, ignoring the widespread crimes perpetrated by Tehran. U.S. military officials often point to claims of Iranian-trained Shiite fighters in Iraq, but do very little to control the situation.

By attacking Syria, the United States reassured regional governments that Iraq would be used as a staging ground to launch military attacks, especially if the Status of Forces Agreement is signed.

There is little doubt, Sot al-Iraq said, that Damascus supported terrorism and harbored members of the former Iraqi regime, but the United States should take equal consideration of the attacks launched by Iran.

The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 sparked the flames of resistance in the Arab and Islamic world, spawning a new wave of violence against the United States, Shabab al-Iraq said Thursday.

No to the presence of the occupation forces

The United States invaded Iraq on the false pretense that Iraq harbored weapons of mass destruction and that the Iraqi people sought liberation from Saddam Hussein. Over time, the news service said, the real reasons for the invasion became apparent.

The neoconservatives in Washington, along with the powerful Israeli lobby, moved to create chaos and stoke ethnic and sectarian conflict among the Iraqi people through government interference and manipulation of the Iraqi Constitution. Washington also pursued a policy of disrupting Iraq's regional relationships in order to make the Middle East safe for Israel.

Lawmakers in Baghdad, along with the Iraqi people, have announced their opposition to U.S. policies, both inside Iraq and throughout the region, because of the continued mess made in the country.

Prior to the invasion, Washington should have studied the history of Iraq and taken a lessons-learned approach to the region. The United States would also do well to remember that Iraqis, known for their resistance to occupation, have steadfastly refused to take part in any dirty games targeting neighboring countries.