Terror and chaos in Southwest Asia

October 6, 2013 • 3:41PM

As Obama was playing commando with raids in Libya and Somalia, terrorism is running rampant across the region.

In Yemen, the newly arrived German Ambassador was the target of an attempted kidnapping which left one of his body guards dead. A UN worker was also kidnapped today. Both operations are thought to be by al-Qaeda.

In Iraq, two suicide bombers detonated explosives-rigged vehicles at an elementary school (!) and a police station in northern Iraq, killing at least 15 people, 12 of whom were children. 14 more were killed in a suicide attack on Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad.

In Egypt, where the government was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Arab-Israeli War in Tahrir Square, Muslim Brotherhood supporters tried to march on the event, leading to tear gas and shots, leaving 28 people killed and dozens wounded. About 200 were arrested as they attempted to storm Egyptian public squares around the country, the country's Interior Ministry said.