I realize that events in Syria are not exactly at the forefront of the American consciousness, but having traveled in Syria, I find myself fixated on the government’s brutal war against its own people. In the midst of every tragedy, though- and what’s happening in Syria is every bit of that- once can often find humor…or at least profound silliness. So it is in Syria, where a state television network is pushing the theory that FC Barcelona and it’s star, Leonel Messi are sending coded messages to the Syrian resistance. It seems that one of Barca’s masterful scoring plays was staged expressly to indicate to rebels the best route for smuggling arms into Syria.
I’m going to try to explain this, but you’ll have to stick with me here, because even I have trouble following the logic behind the silliness:
Messi receives a pass in the midfield. In so doing, he represents the origins of the black market arms trade in Lebanon, which has exploded (no pun intended) since the beginning of the conflict in Syria.
Messi becomes the focus of Real Madrid defenders, who represent the difficulties inherent in smuggling arms into tightly-controlled Syria.
Weaving through defenders, Messi’s elusiveness is a clear and undeniable indication of the challenges and obstacles arms smugglers would face prior to reaching Dayr Al Zawr.
In a moment of unparalleled brilliance, Messi threads a pass to Pedro, who’s inside the 18-yard box just to the left of the goal. Pedro buries a shot in the back of the net, sending an unmistakable message to both rebels and smugglers: Weapons should be “transported by bus to the final destination, located in Al Mayadin.”.
And here you’d been thinking that the game was just another Clásico, the second leg of a Copa Del Rey fixture. Clearly, you fail to understand the true depths of the treachery and duplicity of the enemies of the Syrian people. And Leonel Messi’s unparalleled brilliance on the pitch. He passes, he scores, AND his play can send coded messages. Is there anything the man CAN’T do??
