The battle for the soul of Syria has taken an even deadlier turn over the past two months. The strategic center of the Middle East is also now a battleground between Hizballah and al-Qaeda, the region's two toughest extremist movements. The groups, both with roots outside Syria, represent rival versions of jihadism. Both use the same repugnantly violent tactics and advocate rigid Islamic rule: they're just from different sects.
This war within the war carries new dangers for the Middle East, for Islam and for the outside world. The regionalization of...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In