Syria: When Peace Goes Dead

The international community was divided on Syria and its’ earned us a front row seat for the civil war. Last Thursday, a series of suicide bombings struck Damascus killing fifty-five people.

 Even the suicide bombing itself has divided the international community. Russia blamed the forces against Bashar al-Assad, while the U.S. blamed the Assad regime itself.

 This bombing also raised the specter of an Al Qaeda entry into the conflict because the twin car bombing during rush hour bears the hallmark of an Islamic extremist organization—per Christian Science Monitor reporting.

If the international community cannot come together and stop pointing at each other as though they’ve just spilled ketchup on a shirt, then we have effectively doomed Syrians to a trial between two tyrannies: Islamic extremism and the al Assad regime.

Absent a consensus, I have but one question to ask the people of Syria—with noted regret—which tyrannical apparatus do you choose Assad or Islamic extremism? Or does it even matter who kills you? Just a very sad commentary, all around folks.

Capitol Bomb Plot

On Friday, counter terrorism officials arrested a twenty six year Moroccan national on his way to commit a suicide bombing at the U.S. Capitol Building.

This is the latest attempted lone wolf terrorist attack on American soil. Most terrorist experts indicate that the most likely avenue for a terrorist attack on American soil is not the coordinated large scale mass episode like what occurred on September 11^th but rather a lone wolf attack.

What made this attempt different from others, is that El Khalifi apparently intended to commit a suicide bombing because he thought America’s war on terrorism is a war on the Islamic faith.

Suicide bombings on American soil are a rare phenomenon. Most terrorist attacks on U.S. soil have been in the mold of lone wolf. I’m not sure whether its’ a difference between Christian and Islamic terrorists or a difference between the developed and developing world.

Most lone wolf terrorists opt for a method of terror that is non lethal to themselves like the OKC bombers, while Islamic terrorists have opted for suicidal methods to make their point. This case will be interesting to follow.