Syria would dearly love Iraq to destabilize and fall into civil war. Syria, Iran and Turkey would be free to pick up the very lucrative pieces of that oil rich nation.

Victor Laszlo, Center Harbor, USA

I'm dismayed by the lack of intelligent feedback here. Did no one who commented take the time to read the article. The Syrian Government is allowing terrorist to pass through their borders and into another soveriegn nation and somehow its the U.S. that's to blame?

chad, London, UK

Once again the US does the heavy lifting against the enemies of freedom that are at the throats of the Brits and Euro weasels. The idiot, cowardly Euro citizens can only criticize. When your head gets separated, don't call the Americans....we have done our part.

moultrie, South Carolina, USA

Congratulations, you are aiding in creating the AlQuayda 2.0

Sam, Indiana, US

The key notion to focus on here is simple: the powers that be in the US are Christian fundamentalists who believe that it is the goal and destiny of the US's Christian heritage to destroy Islam. Now isn't that a scary idea? Killing people for their beliefs sounds familiar...

Aaron, Portland, USA

This "analysis" leaves out a substantial fact. When Syria asked the Bush administration for technology to help police the border, the Bush admin. said, "No, you can't have it." If you are serious about security, you pony up the technology for it. What's going on is politics not security.

Deborah , Wichita , USA

Hold on didn't the USA condemn Russia for invading Georgia?! This is beyond double standards.

This is the that the USA promotes democracy, through the barrel of a gun and murdering children who will never understand the meaning of the word.

James, Northampton, ENgland

Actually, the raid was intended to kill or capture "Abu Ghadiya", AQM's coordinator in Syria. We don't yet know what the outcome was, but given the silence from MNF-I it seems safe to assume that he wasn't taken alive if he was there at the time. It's not so much about sending a message, then.

Matt, Chicago, IL, USA

With all the news of Iran as an emerging nuclear power, it becomes more important that we get high level diplomats back to Damascus. As things stand right now, there can be no mistake, Syria is allied with Iran, and more inclined to side with Russia and its stance on foreign policy. Time to talk.

Chris, Hartford,

This is just george's way of showing he can be as tough as president obama (who, after all, is going to attack pakistan, since they cant control their border either). then again, maybe we should just allow the Taleban, Al Qaeda and their ilk to have a few sanctuaries---it worked for the NVA!

stephen grabe, seminole fl, usa

ANYBODY who knows the reality of the situation in Iraq won't condemn these attacks. Jihadists aand wea[pons are openly crossing from Syria using Iranian weapons, det cord etc. This has to stop if any normal people are to avoid death or torture for trying to help bring any sort of stability to Iraq.

Christian, Blackpool UK,

As for your headline - if illegal acts of violence are 'warnings', then the London bombs must have been mere 'warnings' too.

qunfuz, castle douglas, Scotland

Is it any wonder that the Americans are hated the world over?No one in America can say "it was not done on our behalf", You have the laws to impeach the president and his staff - use it!

mike vickers, cognac, france

So America has decided that it can just go into any other country it wants and kill civilians there also? Al Queada have no better recruiting sargeant than the US military.

Lucy, Cheltenham, UK

Considering the attack as a "tough strategic message" to Syria, why innocent civilians have to pay their lives for this message to be delivered?

Ram, Sydney, Australia

Wer'e not the IRA extemists and did the British Govt launch attacks inside Eire after every IRA atrocitity.No ,but in hindsight perhaps we should have. After all we were under direct attack unlike the USA whose borders are far removed fron Syria, Pakistan et al.

oliver, Brighton,

Actually the "message sent" was the usual one: that the aggressive US empire ignores international law and recklessly kills civilians whenever it wants to demonstrate its murderous power and impunity to anyone in its way or in the way of its Israeli client.

Richard Cheeseman, Wellington, Aotearoa/NZ

This incident cannot be anything other than an act of war. This latest atrocity is consistent with the efforts of the imperialists and zionists of seeking to destabilize Syria in order to bring about a change in government. Those responsible for this cowardly aggression must be ruthlessly punished.

Emanuel Gulian, Los Angeles, USA,

When is this killing going to end? For the majority of my life I have had to witness my country killing children while claming to be helping solve some kind of problem. There is no justification for using killing to enforce your will or at least thats what we tell others.

wayne, charlotte, NC, USA

If the attack was botched and indeed civilians and children were killed as suggested in ME media it damages the standing of US domestically as well as in the region.

Syria is playing possum and seems to have improved relations with Lebanon and is trying to keep focus on the return of Golan.

Damian, Brighton, UK

Good article. On the Pak-Afghan border where separatist Pukhtuns in their rawest form claim there is no Durand Line then it is fair game to kill the terrorist enemy wherever they can be found on either side of the line these same terrorists say does not exist!

George , Birmingham, USA