The Wrong Horse

The nations of the Middle East had to select which superpower to lend their fealty back in the early days of the Cold War. Israel decided to tie her star to America. Eventually, so too did Egypt who had a long flirtation first with Russia, then called the Soviet Union. These nations are being repaid or perhaps put paid to by their American sponsor after years of carrying America's water and doing the bidding of the US. Syria has basically stood with Russia. Russia always was quick with weapons sales and advisers and never expressed any particular concern for or demands over human rights. No serious threat hangs over Syria's oppressive regime from masses gathered to call for Assad's departure in any Damascus square. The United Nations has no plans to rebuke or condemn Syria for anything (not the Hariri murder, not de facto participation with Iran in swallowing Lebanon), and certainly not for one of the most abysmal human rights records in the world. It is increasingly obvious that it does not pay to be America's friend- just ask Hosni Mubarak or beleaguered and delegitimized little Israel.