Destroying Civilization

"We're talking about a regime that's willing to go to enormous lengths to use massive force against civilians, including Scud missiles and other types. We condemn all support of arms to the regime."
Patrick Ventrell, U.S. State Department

Of course, Russia has expressed its alternate view of the irresponsibility of the European Union in deciding to permit Syrian rebels to be armed. It's a scandalously cavalier attitude on the part of the EU. One that will be responsible, without doubt, in heating up an already fiery situation. And as the conflict within Syria grows and slops over its borders, affecting Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon, all countries quite suffused with the tinder-box embers of their own looming conflicts, the European Union's decision is abominable.

The decision by Russia, on the other hand, to proceed to 'honour' a contract signed away back when, with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is infinitely intelligible and obviously just. To arm the Syrian regime with S-300 missiles is simply business as usual for Russia. Russia clearly has legitimate business interests in Syria, and the European Union has not. Above all, any interference by the United States in the chaotic affair of a country defending itself against foreign invaders would be intolerable.

The games that governments play in their clumsily transparent stabs at realpolitik...! Russia and America cannot possibly clash country-to-country in a cataclysmic conflict that would see the world shrivel in exposure to lethal weapons meant to destroy all in their path, but the appetite to lock horns, to gain hegemonic interests and ultimately advantage the winning side, is quite simply irresistible. The U.S. consenting to establishing a 'no fly' zone, and Russia giving Syria the missiles to shoot down NATO planes.

Sometimes things really are black and white. The dark side is the combination of Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Russia; grey seems to escape that picture. On the other hand, the white of the EU, United States, Turkey, the Arab States and Israel has turned a little shop-worn grey with the rebels they are in support of being comprised in large part of intruders, al-Qaeda stalwarts among the Syrian rebels. With Saudi Arabia and Qatar quietly supporting them.

This is not a war, however, between good and evil, in the final analysis. Besides that it is also coincidentally a proxy war, it is largely a war between Islam and Islam. On either side there are the spawn of the devil, eager to slaughter their opposites. The religion itself is polarizing and becomes hateful in the extreme when it has been cast as the motivator of conflict, as a morally obligating pillar built into Islam's foundation through jihad.

Europeans and Americans are not unaware of all of this. And Israel most certainly is acutely aware of how fragile her footings in the Middle East have suddenly become, with that realization having come swooping down, carrying all other possible scenarios before it.