Silence the violence

Check this out.

I have no doubt that weapons smuggling through the Beirut airport (not to mention across the Syrian border, along our coastline, and through the American Embassy) is rampant, but when silencers are involved it adds an extra notch of intrigue.

You don't need silencers when arming your militia. The level of stealth that silenced weapons provide is not required for Jean, Ali, Georges, or Hussam to cause mayhem in the streets in the event of sectarian fighting. So what kind of activity requires the use of silencers (other than to avoid waking up the neighbors during your late-night target practice sessions)?

The only thing I can think of is covert operations...going to a place you're not supposed to be to kill someone and escape without being seen or heard. What kind of target would require that kind of stealth?

So they caught the guy and the weapons are in the hands of the government (a mixed blessing, of course). But there must have been a backup plan...and if there was, how many other smugglers didn't get caught bringing their silencer-equipped guns into the country?

For all you ladies (and gents, I'm sure) who are having affairs with our esteemed politicians, my suggestion is to avoid your amour like the plague for the next little while. Someone 'important' is going to 'commit suicide' soon, it seems.