Oh what a tangled web....

[Workingman]

Israel has unilaterally struck Syrian territory for at least the third time since the troubles began. It is attempting to stop shipments of arms and chemical and biological weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas who are supported by Iran and who wish to wipe it, Israel, from the face of the earth. In doing so it is unintentionally aiding the Syrian rebels. Hezbollah and Hamas mercenaries are fighting with the Syrian rebels.

The rebels, one section of which has allied itself with Al-Qaeda, are also being armed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar - supposedly the West's allies. Saudi and Quatar do not make their own arms, they are supplied by the West. So the West, by proxy, is already supplying arms to the rebels. It is also considering supplying arms directly to the rebels.

If the rebels win in Syria it leaves Israel surrounded by Islamist states, but with both sides being armed by the US and UK.

Could things get any worse?

[cromwell]

Aye, talk about a tangled web.
It gets even more complicated when you throw in the differing sects of Islam. The Saudis and the Qataris are Sunni muslims who are funding the fighters against the Syrian government. Their states are monarchies and they have had trouble with Shia minorities in their own states. Many of the hardline fighters against Syria are Sunnis. They want the establishment of a hardline Islamic state and an end to the secular regime of Assad.
The "long game" here is the destruction of Iran. Iran is the only muslim country that is ruled by Shia muslims. The Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia years ago were urging the USA to "cut off the snakes head" and attack Iran. Syria is the ally of Iran. With Assad removed and a hardline Sunni government in power in Syria, Iran would be weakened and isolated.
What a mess it all is. Look at Iraq now; murders every day, with the Sunni murdering the Shia and vice versa.
A glimpse of what the Syria of the future may be? Sunnis murdering Shia and Christian Syrians alike, ethnically cleansing them.
Trouble in the past, trouble in the present and much more trouble to come.

[Aggers]

The middle East has always been the trouble spot of the world.

I can remember our Headmaster telling us that back in the 1930s

The best thing we can do is keep of noses out of it and let them get on with it..

[Suff]

The best thing we can do is keep of noses out of it and let them get on with it..

Yes and no. The major economies in the world produce 99% of the weapons being used in every conflict. So, in effect, even by selling weapons, we interfere. Weapons sales are a large chunk of the UK economy and the UK is one of the top 4 weapons manufacturers in the world. For very high tech weapons, the UK is #2!

Also there is the other angle. If the Islam states turn on Israel, then they will be destroyed by nuclear weapons. Taking a large part of the world Oil reserves with them. Whilst it might be very beneficial to the ecology of the planet, it won't be beneficial to any economy in the world.

The middle east is inextricably twined in world economies until the Oil runs out. Therefore they have to factor in our politics.

There is no isolation option here. Sadly.