16 Rules For A Proxy War

16 Tips For Running A Proxy War In The Middle East:

#1 – Ask not with whom each side is fighting, ask what they are fighting for.

#2 – The enemy of your enemy may very likely still be your enemy.

#3 – There are always more than two sides.

#4 – You will have buyer’s remorse.

#5 – If it looks like Al Qaeda, swims like Al Qaeda and quacks like Al Qaeda, then it probably is Al Qaeda.

#6 – There are many synonyms for Al Qaeda in the language of the “modern” Middle East.

#7 – It can always get worse.

#8 – When a rebel group has a very long name, be wary — they’re likely compensating for something.

#9 – Every now and then make sure you’re not accidentally supporting opposing sides in the same conflict.

#10 – Don’t be surprised if your beloved benefactor is also supporting the other side, directly or indirectly.

#11 – Don’t be surprised if God shows up everywhere.

#12 – It is often foreigners interfering in the conflict who most loudly complain about foreign interference.

#13 – There’s no black and no white — just a lot of yellow, red, green, blue, orange, purple…

#14 – Take caution when someone says that this conflict is exactly like this other conflict — it’s not.

#15 – Roll your eyes when someone says, “This has been going on for 2,000 [or 1,400] years.” It hasn’t.

#16 – Don’t be a proxy!

by Taufiq Rahim