Three Developments in Syria

1. Iranians and Syrians died in a chemical weapons explosion back in July:
2. Israelis bombed a Syrian weapons site a week ago, and more and more information is coming to light about the target. It seems that the Syrians and the North Koreans may have been cooperating to build a nuclear bomb (so the Israelis decided to terminate the program):
3. Fewer Foreigners Crossing Into Iraq From Syria to Fight

I guess all three stories make sense when considered in light of this. As with the Sunnis in Iraq, the Syrians seem to have turned against al Qaeda as well. Not because they favor stability in Iraq but because they, like the Sunnis of the Anbar Province, have come to appreciate the fact that al Qaeda is not good for them.

I wonder how many people realize that if al Qaeda is taken out of the equation, casualties in Iraq will come way, way down (as they have in the first 3 weeks of this month)? Left wing anti-Bush fanatics don't know this because they believe that al Qaeda is just a tiny part of the equation, one that is preposterously exaggerated by neocons in an effort to deny that Iraq has simply fallen into a big ol' civil war. But I track casualties in Iraq, and anyone who does that knows better. If the Syrians keep this up, and if General Petraeus maintains his hot pursuit of AQI leadership, casualties are going to drop in a big way. Maybe now, maybe later, but it will happen so long as Syria continues to close the door.

Meanwhile, in every other way, Syria (like Iran) has apparently decided to be an enemy of the United States, and that may have contributed to the fact that George Bush gave his blessing to the Israeli attack on what may have been a Syrian nuclear facility.