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A Very Short Distance
By Micah Halpern

Friday March 11, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

I just received another report that most of the Syrian troops in Lebanon are out, and that the rest could probably leave within 12-24 hours.

Syria has relocated troops in the past. It's no big deal. They bring troops home and then back out again depending on the need. Right now, Syria needs to have troops pulled westward.

Moving troops in Lebanon is no big deal, either. The best intel I can glean says about 15,000 - 20,000 Syrian troops were in Lebanon. That does not take into account the troops just on the border, on the Lebanese side of the border. During the course of any given year those numbers can climb to 40,000, even more.

Relocating Syrian army personnel is child's play. The distance between borders is very, very small. To get from Beirut, which is on the Mediterranean coast in the east, to the Litani River is only about 30 miles and from there to the Syrian border is just another 10 miles. Think of it as an easy commute.

Americans, commentators and decision makers alike, cannot really understand the distances - or, more correct, lack of distance - we are talking about here. It is truly a stone's throw.

Believe me, Syria knows the distances very well.
And Syria knows exactly how long it will take to move right back into position. They have done it before.

4 June 2017 12:14 PM in Thoughts


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