Unworthy, Clumsy, Unbelievable
If there is one thing Mossad has never particularly been in its covert activities noted for their precise accuracy and speedy closure, that would be clumsy. These operatives in the rarified field of state-sanctioned espionage, rescue missions and often targeted assassinations have been deftly intelligent in the manner in which they carried out their delicate operations.The murder of a Hamas militant in Dubai by what is turning out to be a platoon of conspirators does not appear to reflect the Mossad of memory.
Initially there was held to have been 11 individuals involved, all holding fake passports. That number has been tentatively increased to 18 malefactors involved in the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a man whose activities in killing two Israeli soldiers decades ago and currently masterminding the passage of weapons from Iran to Hamas in the Gaza Strip most definitely marked him as a target.
Eighteen people spirited into Dubai for the singular purpose of eliminating one individual? Come now. The plot, as it is being unveiled, seems amateurish at best, ridiculously awkward in its architecture which had it supplying false passports purportedly from Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, and implicating Austria (command central, credit cards), as well.
It quite simply defies logic that a carefully worked out plan would be so absurdly third-rate in its execution. And that it would require a cast of so many "extras". And that flight reservations and other expenses would be handled so amateurishly.
Israel, should it be proven that Mossad was involved in this little enterprise, stands to lose much. Its intelligence services will be cut off from intelligence-sharing between its former international friends and associates. The country risks pariah status should it be proven that it was involved - as seems at this juncture - in this imbroglio reminiscent of the Keystone Kops.
Mossad and Israel are well advanced in the latest technical and technological devices that enable them to proceed with many secretive initiatives. They must be aware that money buys what they have, and that the Gulf States have been able to acquire innovative technologies such as high resolution CCTV coverage, and eye-scanning technologies to help identify suspects.
Would they place themselves at such high risks to take out one single threat to their security? Would they determine that the need to remove this operative from further advancing their enemies' cause is worth risking the lives of innocent people whose passports were used in this comedy of errors? This is the work of beginners, not of professionals.
Foreign and diplomatic relations between Israel and her supporters, and with those conflicted with their support of Israel by their recognition of the needs of Palestinians to own their own destiny, is in jeopardy because of some truly unprofessional, let alone ethically questionable tactics that reflect incredibly badly on Israel.
The thing of it is, Israel is not helping matters along by obliquely acknowledging nothing in particular, not defending itself, nor insisting its hands are clean of this affair. And to compound matters still further, Dubai now has in custody two ranking Palestinians associated with Fatah, along with a ranking Hamas-associated Palestinian from Gaza, all of whom are suspects as well.
The additional six suspects that Dubai detectives have their sights on have not been identified as yet; who might they be, members of Hezbollah, Syrians, and Israelis, all together, unified for the purpose of destroying one man's life? If that sounds ridiculous, it's little more so than what is slowly being unfurled here as the investigation proceeds.
Fatah and Hamas are blaming one another, and both are sneering at Israel, with Khaled Meshal whose own assassination attempt by Israel failed and has led him to a very sealed existence now calls upon European countries to punish Israel by placing it on "the terror list". And a memorial rally for Mabhouh in Gaze lent Hamas the opportunity to boast they "will never rest until they reach his killers".
And what's this? Interpol has now added the names and visages of the 11 identified suspects. Moreover, Dubai is pressing Interpol - should it be proved that Israel and Mossad were involved in this tragi-comedy - to add the chief of Mossad to its most-wanted list, red-flagging him along with the 11 suspects. It is most definitely headache-inducing.
Labels: Israel, Middle East, Technology, Traditions, Troublespots
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, February 18, 2010
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