The world of the Middle East is a place where words seem to have no meaning. Today offered a clear example of this. Let me set the scene. Two days ago, the Syrian army fired an anti-tank missile at a truck on the Israeli side of the Israel/Syria border. The missile missed the truck but it stuck nearby and killed an Israeli child. The next day, Israeli artillery and jets struck positions of the Syrian army in the area from which the missile was launched. There was substantial damage and three soldiers were killed by the attack. In response, the Assad regime whose army started the exchange by killing a child issued a statement in which it denounced Israel for "a flagrant violation of international law."
The truth is that one needs to understand just how a rogue regime like that of Assad uses words. Here is a translation guide. When Assad denounces any opponent for a flagrant violation of international law, it means this: "the Syrian forces loyal to Assad can shoot at and kill anyone, at any time. If the targets shoot back, this is illegal. Syrian forces can also use whatever weapons they want, including chemical weapons and any other WMDs. If that happens Syria will blame the other side and the world must accept that statement."
The truth is that one needs to understand just how a rogue regime like that of Assad uses words. Here is a translation guide. When Assad denounces any opponent for a flagrant violation of international law, it means this: "the Syrian forces loyal to Assad can shoot at and kill anyone, at any time. If the targets shoot back, this is illegal. Syrian forces can also use whatever weapons they want, including chemical weapons and any other WMDs. If that happens Syria will blame the other side and the world must accept that statement."
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