The American politcal culture has become a part of our European Entertainment industry. In an age in which the best remembered presidential speech has been delivered by fictional president Whitmore on the eve of an imminent alien invasion, I as a European wondered for a long time whether it is time from an outside viewer to weigh in on the Democrats complicated process in picking a presidential nominee. For most of the last months, I switched to tv-shopping channels instead of getting re-involved in American presidential politics.

But this time is over: After waching the dismal performance of Democrats in the face of Bill Maher questioning, and after learning that the GOP is already casting a professional actor, I want to raise the independent viewers voice.

I have been to Syria for two weeks in 1997 on a trip organized by a member of parliament of the German state of Lower Saxony who originates from Jordan. We travelled from Aleppo in the North to down to the Jordanian border. Though my experience is now 8 years old, I have been in close contact with Syrian exiles in Germany since and I hope I can add some personal expiriences to the current debate on whether or not the U.S. should or will invade Syria.