Syrians Defend U.S. Embassy from Terrorist Attack

Just one day after the U.S. paused to remember the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks the U.S. embassy in Damascus, Syria was the target of a brazen terrorist raid believed to have been executed by a group linked to al-Qaida. Four people were killed, including three attackers and one Syrian security agent who was killed defending the embassy. Eleven people were wounded in the brief skirmish, which included hand grenades, automatic rifles, and at least one vehicle rigged with explosives. No Americans were injured in the attack.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained to the Associated Press that it was too early in the investigation of the attack to know who may have been behind it. While attending a press conference in Nova Scotia, Rice noted, "I think it's very early to try and speculate why this may have happened." While the why in this instance or in any terrorist attack may never be truly understood, perhaps the more notable development is that the Syrian security forces were willing to lay down their lives to protect American interests and potentially American lives. It could be argued that this is a simple example of dedicated soldiers performing the duty for which they were trained. And while that may ultimately be the case, the fact that Syrians are willing to sacrifice to protect Americans is definitely worth noting. Other than Israel, no country is more hated in the Middle East than the United States. Syrians willing to fight to protect U.S. property and citizens would almost certainly invoke a similar level of hatred from the majority of Syrians.

To think that this tragic incident may lead to some greater level of understanding or solidarity between the U.S. and Syria would be naïve. This will likely be lost as an isolated incident amongst a sea of ongoing tragedies and ultimately overshadowed by even greater horrors yet to unfold. But for now, it’s worth acknowledging the sacrifices made by Syria to protect U.S. interests. White House press secretary Tony Snow summed up the position of the Bush Administration in his comments to the Associated Press. "Syrian officials came to aid of the Americans," Snow said. "The U.S. government is grateful for the assistance the Syrians provided in going after the attackers, and once again, that illustrates the importance of Syria being an important ally in the war on terror. It does not mean they are an ally. We are hoping they will become an ally and make the choice of fighting against terrorists," he said, adding that the Bush administration does not know who is responsible for the attack.