Perhaps I’m being too cynical, but Syria’s willingness to give up their chemical weapons so easily when they had never even admitted to having them in the past just seems like a stalling tactic, especially when they have a wide open escape hatch to derail the whole plan:

http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-arsenal-inspections-begin-tuesday-134726273.html

“The inspectors responsible for tracking down Syria’s chemical arms stockpile and verifying its destruction plan to start in Syria by Tuesday. They will face their tightest deadlines ever and work right in the heart of a war zone, according to a draft decision obtained Friday by The Associated Press.”

Who’s going to protect these inspectors? The Syrian troops? That’s funny. If the Syrian troops don’t shell the inspectors themselves (and blame it on the rebels), they will allow any of the various extremist rebel factions to attack. A few dead UN inspectors and the whole operation halts. Syria says, “Don’t blame us, we’re fighting these guys too! We can’t protect our own people either.”

Suddenly, people aren’t talking about the chemical attack any more, it’s about how to protect UN troops – speeches will be given, votes will be proposed and vetoed, and the endless cycle of war goes on. Actually, if you think about it, it’s the perfect way for Syria to put the “bad guy” label on the rebels and put itself back on the side of good. “Hey, we’re trying to do the right thing here and these terrorists are screwing it up. C’mon guys, let’s go get them!”

I think we’re playing checkers while others are playing chess.