… HAS THIS ISSUE FALLEN OFF THE WORLD’S RADAR?

I’ve taken the last week off as I’ve been working on an even more important project; Anna Court Christmas Lights. For those that know me, you understand what that means and for those that don’t, well, I’m a Christian and Christmas is my favorite time of year.  

Today, as I was relishing in my Christmas Spirit, I received a call from a friend on Facebook. I couldn’t answer as I was working on my neighbor’s water heater and for that I must apologize to Khaled. By the time I read the text message from him, I realized just how upset he was with an issue that, at one time, was a favorite topic of my postings…..Syria. You see, to me, Syria is an interesting point in a changing world.  A world that frankly has more dire and more dangerous events taking place than Syria. But, to Khaled, Syria and the crisis that is now in its sixth year, well, it’s much more than that. To Khaled and his family, it’s personal, its life and death not just for people he knows. I know what it’s like to have event’s happening to family and knowing the whole time you have little influence on what happens to them. Hopelessness is a human trait that no one should have to experience. 

How can I help Khaled? How is Khaled’s story any different than someone just like him reaching out from Central Africa or the drug war ravaged towns of Mexico? We all understand, misery is a human experience that has existed since the beginning our race. I have only one simple, somewhat undefinable explanation. I have and have had an undeniable passion for a part of the world I spent an important part of my life in.  Over twenty five years ago as a young Officer in the US military I stepped onto the land called the Middle East to serve in a conflict for no other reason that the fact that my government sent me there. Did I have family there? No.  Was my ability to provide for my family tied to what took place in that part of the world? No. Did I have passion for what was taking place there? No. My duty was to serve as my country saw fit and to keep the service members who served under my command safe while we all executed the will of our nation. That is how my journey with the Middle East started. That is not how it was maintained and that is not how it will end. What I found in that region of the world was friendship, honesty and comradery. These characteristics are not uncommon in other parts of the world, but other parts of the world is not where I served in my first conflict. What’s that old saying about first impressions?

Syria! Is the tragedy that is called Syria different from any other tragedy in the world? More importantly, has the world lost interest in the events of Syria? Yes, women and children are dying. Yes, extreme violence is a common event. So, again, I ask the question. Why is Syria different? Why should the world care? What is taking place that makes Syria important? Well, that question is the real key to the answer I am about to give you.

In the 21^st century, many inhuman events have already taken place in the so called modern world, but none of them have decomposed into a conflict that now has world powers positioning for leverage. None of the other “events” pits two factions of the same religion, a religion of over a billion people, against each other on the same battlefield. Syria is “different” because the region is different! Look. The most popular book in the word, the Bible, speaks of this region and the future of mankind. The Apocalypses so feared by those who follow the Old Testament is not based upon events in South America. It is not based upon the injustices of Central Africa. The Middle East.  That is the region of the world that is said to determine the fate of mankind.

Will religion and the conflict brought on by organized religion set the fate of the Human race? If you are a believer in the Old Testament, then this question is an easy one to answer. By the way, the religion that has the entire Middle East in crisis happens to follow the writings of the Old Testament. Let that sink in for a minute.

Earlier, I asked the question, has the world lost interest in Syria and for that matter the events in Iraq and Yemen? Will the change of leadership in the US equate into any level of resolution with the conflicts of the region? Will the new US President simply leave the region up to the “others”?  The recent findings of even more fuel in the US could very well influence that answer.

Over five years ago, I began to write about the events in Syria and that was for a reason.  The region is important to the future of the human race.

Religion, struggles for world dominance and technology. The ability for one person to learn how to kill millions. The age old trend for the world to simply look the other way. These are dangerous facts  in the 21^st century.

Syria matters, because the region matters. That book I mentioned………….well…… read the part that I mentioned and believe or not believe. That is your choice. I say the region is important and that is why an answer must be found. That is what I will write about next.  What is the potential answer/ answers?

Khaled. I said I would write to the issue like I used to. I cannot change the pain of the innocence in Syria. Sadly, the innocent are often the first and greatest causality of senseless violence.