פורום ארץ הצבי

Yesterday, 10/27/08 US helicopters entered Syrian territory from the northern Iraqi border and bombed a base which was enabling arms and terrorists from gathering and smuggling the border into Iraq. Israel dispatched a small plane target-killing outside Damascus, the head of Al Qaeda for Iraq. This operation, albeit successful in terms of achieving its goal, had collateral casualties of 8 Syrian civilians in the process. Syria didn't complain. Syria is a secular nation straddling the appeasement of fanatic Muslims in Iran and Saudi Arabia, while struggling to maintain a moderate religious culture.

The reason I am sharing this bit of information that was mostly occluded in the news due to election coverage, is because it was a very precedent as well as extremely important operation by US and Israeli forces in combating terror.

To 99% of Americans as well as many Europeans, the war on terror and the boiling cauldron in the Middle East is nothing but an abstract. A comprehension of this region, its inhabitants, its history and the culture of terrorism can only be understood in thorough study and research. Very few people bother with the nuances and minute details of Middle Eastern and Islamic politics.

Hopefully, those who we appoint and hire to keep us protected from harm here in the U.S., will keep a watchful eye and a pointed gun in the right direction. There is no substitute for caution.

Spring Wilde.