Ample Guilt/Blame To Share

Syria insists it is "terrorist" bomb-makers who were responsible for a huge explosion that killed sixteen people in Hama.  The disintegration, not too slow, and certainly persistent, of the UN-brokered ceasefire continues apace.  With Kofi Annan deploring the fact that the regime of President al-Assad has not honoured its promise to withdraw troops and tanks from city centres.

But then, why should they, since the enemy has certainly not been laying down its arms, according to Syria's Information Minister Adnan Mahmoud who accused the rebel militias of violations of the ceasefire.  Damascus, therefore, was "reserving the right to respond to any violation or attack". 

While the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was unclear who was responsible for the latest explosion, they verified the death toll of 16.  Contrasting hugely with the Local Co-ordination Committees who claim over 50 people to have been killed by what it insists was a military rocket.

That does sound far more likely since Hama has been a centre of protest against President Bashar al-Assad from the outset.  How likely is it, after all, that the 'terrorists' would target their own, even for the grisly end of pointing a finger of accusation at the regime, and in the process sacrificing their own. 

Unless, of course, 'their own' are not their own because the attack resulted from a conspiracy on the part of foreign 'terrorist' forces for whom Hama civilians are very expendable.

France, the leading Western hawk in Syria as it was in Libya, insists that tougher action is called for.  It will invoke a "Chapter 7" Security Council resolution which could permit the Security Council to authorize active intervention should Damascus continue to defy the Annan prescription for a ceasefire.

As far as Russia and China are concerned, that won't happen any time soon thanks to their veto.  They've no wish to see a Libya intervention echoed in Syria.  For that matter, most NATO members feel similar reluctance to become involved.  Russia is intent on maintaining its presence as a staunch supporter in the Middle East, and its ties to the Assad government is its ticket to that end.

In fact, both China and Russia have been happy enough to accept the Syrian-based accusations of 'terrorists' being entirely responsible for any and all attacks against both themselves and the rebels.  For they are guilty of nothing whatever, other than their logical assertions that they are defending the fatherland, just as (some) Syrians expect them to do on their behalf.

And Russia, exploiting its position as a calm interlocutor, trusted by Syria though reviled by the opposition, is not loath to demonstrate its even-handed neutrality in quasi-support of the UN cease-fire: "We call upon the Syrian side to carry out in full its obligations", expounded Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.

"Nonetheless ... there is another side in Syria, opposition groups, which have in essence shifted to tactics of terror on a regional scale."  And therein lies the very acceptable truth of the matter.  Take it or leave it.  Or simply accept that both sides are adept at, and happy to visit 'terror' on one another.