I'd Say This Represents a Tad Bit of Dissonance

Trey Smith

America doesn't support terrorist organizations. Period. How do I know this? Because our President and elected leaders have told us so. They haven't said this once, but hundreds of times. They've drummed this notion into our pea-sized heads. So, this first article I read on Saturday should surprise no one.

An 18-year-old Chicago-area man accused of planning to join an al Qaeda-linked group fighting in Syria has been arrested by the FBI, the agency said on Saturday.

Abdella Ahmad Tounisi of Aurora, Illinois, was taken into custody late on Friday as he prepared to board a plane at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport bound for Turkey, the FBI said in a statement.

We all know that the US is in a "war" against al Qaeda and associated forces. It is logical that we would arrest one of our own citizens for an attempt to consort with and serve one of our sworn enemies.

So, why am I sharing Tounisi's plight with you?

On the same day I read about Tounisi's arrest, I read an altogether different news report about Syria. This second article has left me scratching my head.

The US readied a package Saturday of up to $130m in non-lethal military aid to Syrian opposition forces while European countries consider easing an arms embargo, moves that could further pressure the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

US secretary of state John Kerry was expected to announce the plans about the defensive military supplies at a meeting Saturday that was bringing together the Syrian opposition leadership and their main international allies.

The supplies possibly could include body armor, armored vehicles, night vision goggles and advanced communications equipment.

Here is what I find interesting. It has been widely reported -- though not so much in the US of A -- that the rebel forces in Syria have quite a few members of...wait for it...al Qaeda in their ranks. In fact, there have been some reports that suggest that al Qaeda is taking the lead in the fight against the Syrian government.

What this would suggest is that the US government itself is providing support to a known terrorist organization. This puts Tounisi's situation in a whole new light. Basically, he is being arrested for doing something similar to what the government that arrested him is doing. Why is it okay for the government to support a known terrorist organization, but not a US citizen?

I'm just asking.