SYRIA IN THE NEWS

SYRIA IN THE NEWS!

Well Syria is in the news. It is a nation now in civil war and people die daily. A very grievous situation. They appear to have used lethal gas on its own people killing even the children.

Even as I write this, the President and his staff are pondering whether to attack Syria to send a message to President Assad of Syria. The news now reveals Navy destroyers are in the area and able to strike Syria at will and another destroyer is on its way.

As one ponders Syria, what is the history and background to this Nation of the earth? Research has proved that Syria is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. During the Roman Empire, Antioch of Syria was the 3rd largest city of the Empire, with a population of 500,000 at its peak.

The Apostle Paul converted to Christianity on the road to Damascus in Syria Acts 9. Antioch of Syria became a base for the spread of Christianity into the world. Its ruins lie near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey today.

In 634-640, Syria was conquered by the Muslim Arabs in the form of the Rashidun army led by Khalid ibn al-Walid, resulting in the region becoming part of the Islamic empire. People were forced into conversion to Islam and today it remains a stronghold of the Islamic religion. It has been a nation of dictatorship and a brutal government that has little mercy on any dissent of the people. Syria has been a great enemy of Israel and a source of much terror in the Middle East. Syria has remained more an enemy of the United States than a friend.

It is sad that the great history of Syria and its deep roots in first century Christianity, has not been able to instill in the people of Syria, a sense of greatness to achieve amazing things. My observation that the religion of Islam is much of the blame in keeping women out of deep seats of power and leadership. Islam has kept the people from freedoms and perpetuating a dictatorship. Human rights are not respected in a truly Islamic nation where Sharia Law is practiced. Powerful influences from other Islamic nations continue to push Syria away from Israel and the United States.

The Middle East is truly a hotspot of human history. The Middle East has always been a place of war, hatred, death and destruction. It has been the cradle of civilization and the graveyard of empire. Great powers have moved through the Middle East through all human history, and in the end found only destruction for themselves. Ancient Rome was never able to resolve the issues of the Middle East. Many scholars believe because Rome was so involved with the Middle East, it neglected its real problems and real enemies to the North. It appears today, that America has not learned the lessons of history in regard to the Middle East and is facing more and more turmoil and endless confusion, war, and death. Peace in the Middle East has always been elusive. Many thinkers of history believe that only Alexander the Great fully understood the Middle East. He submerged himself into its culture and thinking. The American government and people have never fully understood the culture and mind of the Middle Eastern world.

America must tread carefully in the Middle East. Many missteps in the past have made it so hard today to try to bring any rational solutions. We need to start over on new policies and relationships to build an association that is beneficial to all parties. One thing that blinds us to reality is our constant thirst for oil. If oil were out of the picture then our entire thinking would change. Rome needed the Middle East for bread and thus were blinded to solutions in dealing with these people. We are blinded by oil. Another factor that puts us in danger and causes constant hate and trouble is, Israel. Past decisions regarding Israel were wrong and as a result it has built a international policy for the United States in the Middle East that is in reality, dysfunctional.

One thing for sure we must do, is pray and pray fervently for peace. Our leaders and our nation must decide if it really wishes to be the policeman of the earth. The price for being such a policeman is high indeed and our economy and resources cannot continue the present pace of world intervention. We must rethink the Middle East and make decisions that are first of all in the best interest of the United States and that will reflect peace, balance, fairness, and justice. We must be very cautious in military intervention. It appears that our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have only opened new doors of trouble and challenges. Whatever benefits we have achieved are of only a short duration. America must learn that changing the Middle East is an impossible task, and in the end our involvement there may do more to change America then it will ever change them. That has been a great lesson that past nations have had to learn, howbeit the hard way. The Middle East is truly, the graveyard of empire.