TWO EVENTS WORTH TALKING ABOUT
Lets start by talking about the rumors of Syrian military leaders ordering their own members fired upon for not shooting at the public.
This is an event that if true, and I believe it is, it will prove to be more ominous for Assad than most of us realize.
A whole series of things have to happen for a dramatic escalation such as this to take place.
Assad had to have give 'Rules of Engagement" to his own military leaders that he would not tolerate disloyalty and perhaps even order anyone disobeying to be shot.
A huge pressure point between he and his Commanders that will have its toll even if the Commanders don't have to carry it out.
Military Command and Civilian leadership's 'Trust' is the key to any nation's survival.
Once this bond is strained or broken, a critical step has been taken to loss of continuity of government.
The strain these 'Rules of Engagement' place on the sub unit commanders and their superiors is magnified again and again.
In the history of professional militaries actions such as these or even rumors on Commanders firing on their own troops is catastrophe few militaries have survived.
The public, as witnessed in the attached linked article, spreads the word of these horrific event faster than the government can get out in front of the story.
The public understands what a monumental step this is and the gravity of just how much trouble their nation may be in begins to set in.
So, if this has happened and again, I believe it has, then Syria and specifically Assad, who is NOT his Father, could be in far worse trouble than many realize.
You can bet Iran knows if this has taken place or not and the midnight oil is burning in the Iranian War Room!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/12/syrian-soldiers-shot-protest
The second issue is just as worrisome, if not more so, than the Syrian event.
Hamas and others working with Hamas may have very well chosen a laser guided weapon against a bus to prove a point about the 'Iron Dome'.
The timing fits the concept.
I wrote about Israel not 'taking the bait' from Iran with the hostilities of the past two weeks, but the author of the attached article is absolutely correct with his last comment.
If that bus would have been full of Children, Israel would be at War right now.
The question becomes did Hamas have good enough intelligence to know who was on the bus?
From Israel's viewpoint, they now must dedicate the manpower to scan the border with Gaza for laser target identifiers.
I'm not sure if Israel can afford to not take the bait much longer.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/04/12/iron-dome-weaponry-alters-strategic-balance-gaza-strip/
