Syria crisis: Guide to armed and political opposition

BBC ^ | 17 October 2013 Last updated at 02:40 ET | Lina Sinjab, David Gritten, James Longman, Faisal Irshaid

[haffast]

There are believed to be as many as 1,000 armed opposition groups in Syria, commanding an estimated 100,000 fighters.

Many of the groups are small and operate on a local level, but a number have emerged as powerful forces with affiliates across the country or formed alliances with other groups that share a similar agenda. The BBC News website looks at the most prominent.

Big snip

[haffast]

Syria update.

This week's playcard. Play "Pick a "Moderate"". Many more choices at link. You win even if they lose.

Just one of the potential prizes:

The Geopolitics of Gas and the Syrian Crisis: Syrian “Opposition” Armed to Thwart Construction of Iran-Iraq-Syria Gas Pipeline
By Dmitry Minin
Global Research, June 03, 2013

"Qatar’s allies are trying to accomplish three goals: «to break Russia’s gas monopoly in Europe; to free Turkey from its dependence on Iranian gas; and to give Israel the chance to export its gas to Europe by land at less cost». (4) As Asia Times analyst Pepe Escobar indicated, the Emir of Qatar apparently made a deal with the «Muslim Brotherhood» according to which it will support their international expansion in exchange for a pact of peace within Qatar. A «Muslim Brotherhood» regime in Jordan and in Syria, supported by Qatar, would abruptly change the entire geopolitical world gas market – decidedly in favor of Qatar and to the detriment of Russia, Syria, Iran and Iraq. It would also be a crushing blow to China. (5)"
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-geopolitics-of-gas-and-the-syrian-crisis-syrian-opposition-armed-to-thwart-construction-of-iran-iraq-syria-gas-pipeline/5337452

(Canada, Eh)

[Pan_Yan]

Basically Syria is like Somalia in the early 1990s, only in this case location makes it very, very important for several major foreign powers. Russia will not allow an unfriendly government to threaten its stranglehold on natural gas sales to Europe. The Sunnis will not live under an Iranian backed minority rule. The Islamists will not allow a secular government.

No outside power is willing to make the sacrifice neccessary to over run the country because the cost would be astounding and the rewards few. I don’t think this will end anytime soon.

[Makana]

Add Cambodia, Nigeria, the Congo, and Players to Be Named to that list.

[Pan_Yan]

Add Cambodia, Nigeria, the Congo, and Players to Be Named to that list.

Afghanistan, Iraq, Chad and Central African Republic?

[haffast]

I don't see it ending soon either, but I'm no expert on the ME, and am still trying to get my head around it all.

I like your "Hierarchy of Disagreement" pyramid on your homepage. I should hold it up to my postings as a gauge of worthiness before I post, which would probably raise the the quality of my responses, and severely limit the number of them!! ;)

[Pan_Yan]

I like your "Hierarchy of Disagreement" pyramid on your homepage.

I can't take credit. It's a Wikipedia image and I saw another FReeper post it. If I tried to hold to the highest level of standard it displays I'd have to close my account.