The curious timing of the U.S. military attack in Syria

According to CBS News, the United States military launched an attack inside Syria on Sunday, killing eight:

U.S. military helicopters launched an extremely rare attack Sunday on Syrian territory close to the border with Iraq, killing eight people in a strike the government in Damascus condemned as “serious aggression.” … “Syria condemns this aggression and holds the American forces responsible for this aggression and all its repercussions. Syria also calls on the Iraqi government to shoulder its responsibilities and launch an immediate investigation into this serious violation and prevent the use of Iraqi territory for aggression against Syria,” the government statement said. …

Those inclined to see conspiracy are calling it an October surprise, implying that the event was manufactured in order to influence the outcome of the election. The headline at the popular D.C. gossip site Wonkette reads, “Finally, the October Surprise!”

It is, of course, possible that the timing is coincidental and it’s not election-related, but, given the timing, one can see how observers might have concerns. The BBC, while not saying outright that the attack was made for political reasons, does call the timing “curious.”:

… Its timing is curious, coming right at the end of the Bush administration’s period of office and at a moment when many of America’s European allies — like Britain and France — are trying to broaden their ties with Damascus. …

There’s little doubt that presidential candidate John McCain and the Republicans would like to see the national dialogue transition from the economy to war -– a subject on which McCain continues to poll better than Democratic rival Barack Obama — but would they instigate an international incident just to see that accomplished? I’d like to think not.