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It’s not that clear cut.

Various groups in Syria are not formal groups, their membership is a fluid collection of terrorists. Some indigenous, some foreign, some al Aqeada. To overthrow the Syrian government the US has “partnered” with these terrorist groups, arming them. It is not clear why the US seeks to overthrow Syria.

Once armed these groups, or their members reformed as new groups, attacked Iraq. They have since seized half a billion dollars by looting Iraqi banks and a large quantity US equipment, tanks, humvees, etc.

This is now known as ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State.

Here is a summary of some of my notes. No doubt this is not complete or accurate in every detail but it is my opinion of what is happening. Corrections and additions are certainly welcome.

In May 2013, Elizabeth O’Bagy arranged for McCain to meet with the Free Syrian Army. This is the famed photo-op of McCain with “Syrian rebels”.

In an August 30, 2013 Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “On the Front Lines of Syria’s Civil War” O’Bagy promoted the idea that the Free Syrian Army are not jihadists:

“Moderate opposition forces—a collection of groups known as the Free Syrian Army—continue to lead the fight against the Syrian regime. While traveling with some of these Free Syrian Army battalions, I’ve watched them defend Alawi and Christian villages from government forces and extremist groups. They’ve demonstrated a willingness to submit to civilian authority, working closely with local administrative councils. And they have struggled to ensure that their fight against Assad will pave the way for a flourishing civil society.”

In Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings regarding a possible attack on Syria McCain cited this op-ed to support the idea that the Free Syrian Army are not jihadists.

The next day Secretary of State John Kerry encouraged members of the House of Representatives to read this op-ed.

Shortly after her op-ed O’Bagy was exposed as a fraud. She did not have a PhD from Georgetown as she had claimed and her connections with the Syrian Emergency Task Force where she was Political Director also came to light. She joined the Syrian Emergency Task Force on May 13.

Prior to her exposure O’Bagy also was employed as a Senior Research Analyst and Syria Team Lead by the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington, DC based foreign policy advisory group focused on the Middle East. She was hired in either August or September 2012 (unclear) and fired September 11, 2013.

The WSJ subsequently issued this clarification:

“In addition to her role at the Institute for the Study of War, Ms. O’Bagy is affiliated with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a nonprofit operating as a 501(c)(3) pending IRS approval that subcontracts with the U.S. and British governments to provide aid to the Syrian opposition.”

The Syrian Emergency Task Force is a Washington, DC based lobbying group working for the overthrow of the Syrian government.

The Syrian Emergency Task Force receives funding from the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, itself funded by the State Department.

After being fired by Institute For The Study of War O’Bagy was hired by McCain as a “legislative assistant”.

>> The State Department, working through the Syrian Emergency Task Force, and indirectly through O’Bagy, manuevered McCain into supporting an attack on Syria and/or arming the “good” jihadists either method with the goal of overthrowing the Syrian government. <<

Whether McCain was a willing and knowledgable participant or a dupe is an open question.

The Free Syrian Army is a loose association of groups. Theses groups have names like the Harmoush Battalion, the Omari Battalion, Freedom Brigade, and the Syrian Falcons Brigade. How large, well organized, their intentions, or how “real” any of these groups are is not clear (to me).

In June 2013 Obama claimed that Syrian President Assad used sarin. This was Obama’s (in)famous “red line”. This provided the justification or pretense (whatever your point of view) to arm some of these groups through the Free Syria Army.

In May 2013 when McCain visited Syria he met with Salim Idriss, general in the Free Syria Army, and later said he is “a fine leader”.

Before the June 2013 crossing of the “red line”, in early 2012, the CIA had been working with Turkey to arm these groups.

This raises the question of just how legitimate is the “red line” justification for arming the Free Syria Army to overthrow the Syrian government.

Given that US actions against Syria have dubious justification, the Turkey connection (reportedly a ship left Libya to deliver arms to Turkey, allegedly destined for Syrian “rebels”), all the unanswered questions about Benghazi, the US involvement with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and now the “Islamic State” - what is going on? Why was ISIS allowed to possess US equipment when they could have been wiped out (think “highway of death”)?

I have paid attention to the news, paid attention to current events, and tried to understand what is happening. In my opinion - at that is all it is - in my opinion the case can be made that it appears that Obama is using the US to install “islamists” in a new transnational caliphate. I don’t believe he is operating alone, but that others may be supporting the same outcome but for their own reasons ($$$). It’s also possible that some of these others may be working to prevent any one ME country from becoming too powerful and that this is “blowback”. I am of the opinion though that Obama is working for a caliphate.

The Islamic State is now well funded and well armed. What happens next? Will we “partner” with some other groups in an attempt (ostensibly) to combat Islamic State, but end up only strengthening them?

Time will tell.