Of course you will NOT hear about this in the news...Who controls the American Media anyway?

It's believed the Israeli Air Force attacked a site in Syria earlier thismonth. It also believed that the site may have had nuclear material. Sowhy isn the world buzzing with the news? FSM Contributing Editor Jonathan Strong has a theory about an intriguing chain of events.

What Happened on September 6, 2007?By Jonathan D. Strong

On September 6, 2007, something very important may have happened in northern Syria near the Turkish border. It is believed that Israeli Air Force (IAF)F-16s and F-15s attacked a site in Syria that may have had nuclear material.What is alarming is not the increase in tensions from Syria and Israel, butthe silence that exists on both sides. Complicating matters is thecontention that North Korea is involved in Syrian nuclear ambitions.

There are scattered and unverifiable reports that Israel carried out astrike against a Syrian target.  What exactly the target was and what wasstruck is not yet clear; however, something very important may haveoccurred, akin to the strike on Osirak in Iraq in 1981. Global Security hasconstructed a timeline of the events and news reports that have leaked outsince the incident occurred.

An unnamed source stated four days after the incident that a pilot nuclearenrichment operation was the target of the strike. The next day, a U.S.government official stated that the target was a Syrian weapons shipmentdestined for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. On September 13, 2007,Washington Post reporter Glenn Kessler wrote that "...a former Israeliofficial said he had been told that it was an attack against a facilitycapable of making unconventional weapons." On September 15th, Kesslerreported that an Israeli official provided the U.S. with evidence ofSyrian-North Korean cooperation on a nuclear facility.

On September 16th, the Sunday Times reported that Syria had planned a"devastating surprise" for Israel in response to Israel's attack on thenuclear shipment from North Korea to Syria.

"The paper reported that Israeli sources said planning for the strike beganin late spring 2007 when Mossad director Meir Dagan presented Prime MinisterEhud Olmert with evidence that Syria was seeking to buy a nuclear weaponfrom North Korea."

Then again on September 16th, military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin toldthe Israeli Foreign Affairs and Defense parliamentary committee that Israelhad recovered its capability after the strike on Syria.

These reports may sound like the background for a James Bond movie, but theyare real and could have an enormous impact on the strategic reality of theMiddle East for years to come. It is also very troubling to think that NorthKorea may be in the business of selling nuclear weapons to terroristsupporting states. If it is true that North Korea is willing to sell aworking nuclear weapon to Syria, they may also be willing to sell one to alQaeda.

It is also revealing that both Israel and Syria have remained so silent onthe subject. Syria certainly knows how to make a fuss in the United Nationswhen it wants to. Past Israeli strikes on militant camps in Syria haveprovoked a loud outcry among Arab and Islamic states against Israel. WithSyria staying mum after a violation of its airspace by Israeli warplanes, itindicates clearly that Syria does not want to bring attention to itself. Itis also likely that Turkey, or elements of the Turkish military, providedIAF jets with a flight corridor to the Syrian site. Drop tanks believed tobe from IAF jets were found in Turkey who then asked Israel forclarification on the matter. Turkey and Israel have a longstandingintelligence and defense relationship despite their religious differences.

Shortly after the IAF strike, North Korea cancelled Six-Party talks at thelast minute. The talks were scheduled to begin on September 19, 2007 tofurther negotiations to dismantle North Korea nuclear program. North Korea may have faced tough questions from U.S. officials over its involvement in Syria nuclear program. Despite this, a U.S. led team of experts is expected soon to deliver a very positive report on the progress of inspections after visiting Pyongyang.

However, North Korea may be cooperating more openly with the Six Party groupbecause it has outsourced its nuclear program to Syria. North Korea hascalled allegations of its ties to Syrian nuclear development "aconspiracy". However, it is a verifiable fact that a North Koreanflagged freighter was docked at the Syrian port of Tartus on September 3,2007.

Two Web sites list the Al-Hamad freighter as having docked atTartus on September 3, flying North Korean colors. A third Web site, run bythe Egyptian Transportation Ministry, says the Al-Hamad docked in the NileDelta one month earlier and later passed by the northern Lebanese port ofTripoli.

Syrian Scud Missile launchers were bought from North Korea or built usingNorth Korean blue prints. It is believed they are stationed at the same portin Syria, Tartus, where the Al-Hamad freighter was spotted. While NorthKorea appears more cooperative in East Asia, it could be acting far moredangerously with Syria in the Middle East. U.S. officials have confirmedthat North Korean nuclear experts were in Syria assisting in its covertnuclear program.

The question for U.S., Israeli, and other Western policy makers is what thisall means and what should be done about it? The U.S. has its hands full inIraq and Afghanistan. European nations appear unenthusiastic, to put itmildly, in dealing with Iran nuclear ambitions. North Korea appears to bemore cooperative, but may be doing so to deflect attention from itsinvolvement with Syria.

It can be assumed that Israel will take the actions that are necessary toprotect itself and ensure its survival. The strike on Syria was very likelydone to ensure that its nuclear deterrent would remain intact. Should Iranreach a critical point in its nuclear weapons program, it should be assumedthat Israel will not hesitate to attack Iranian nuclear sites, even if itinvolves heavy losses and international condemnation.

Another possibility is that Israel preemptively destroyed a planned nuclearsite in Syria and did the world an enormous favor, much like what it did in1981 when it attacked the Osirak nuclear site in Iraq. In an absurddevelopment, but typical of the United Nations, Syria has been made theco-chair of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA)(link), whilethe eighth anti-Syrian politician in a few years was assassinated inLebanon. Although the prospect of peace between Syria and Israel looksbleak, Israel actions may have saved the world from incredible danger andinstability in the future.

It is quite clear that the "Axis of Evil" remains in tact, with Syria havingtaken Iraq's place. The question for American and Western policy makers ishow much longer we will remain in a phony war against Iran and Syria?