Posted on 09/19/2014 11:05:11 AM PDT by jazusamo
The Free Syrian Army is on the wrong side. Here's its bloody track record and disturbing alliances.
Video House approves Obama's plan to combat Islamic State in a 273 to 156 vote
Demonstrating yet again that we do not have an effective opposition party in the United States right now, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted Wednesday in favor of Barack Obama’s plan to arm and train “vetted” members of the Free Syrian Army. As expected,the Senate went along on Thursday. The Hill noted about the House vote that “vocal opposition” came from “both war-weary liberals and defense hawks who feel the Syria plan should include more robust steps.” No one, however, seems to have mentioned the main reason why this is a bad idea: the Free Syrian Army is on the wrong side.
Obama made big promises last Sunday on Meet the Press: “What I want people to understand is that over the course of months,” he asserted, “we are going to be able to not just blunt the momentum” of the Islamic State. “We are going to systematically degrade their capabilities; we’re going to shrink the territory that they control; and, ultimately, we’re going to defeat them.” He was using the term “we” loosely: “This is not going to be an announcement about U.S. ground troops. This is not the equivalent of the Iraq war.” But if American troops were not going to perform this herculean task, then who would do it?
“In the interview on Sunday,” said the New York Times , “Mr. Obama said he envisioned the Free Syrian Army’s providing the ground presence needed to confront ISIS in Syria.”
But will the Free Syrian Army actually do this job, or do it effectively? Here are some reasons why not:
In July 2013, Free Syrian Army fighters entered the Christian village of Oum Sharshouh and began burning down houses and terrorizing the population, forcing 250 Christian families to flee the area.
Terrible things happen in wars, of course, and the FSA’s terrorizing of a Christian village doesn’t necessarily mean that it wouldn’t be effective against the Islamic State. But given this behavior, what kind of a society might the Free Syrian Army establish in Syria, were they to come to power? Apparently not one that would secure the rights of religious minorities, for the terror attack at Oum Sharshouh was not an isolated incident…
Video Free Syrian army attack 2014 Extreme close fighting close combat
Worthy News reported that just two days after the attack on Oum Sharshouh, Free Syrian Army rebels, targeted the residents of al-Duwayr/Douar, a Christian village close to the city of Homs and near Syria’s border with Lebanon….Around 350 armed militants forcefully entered the homes of Christian families who were all rounded-up in the main square of the village and then summarily executed.
Video Free Syrian army attack from ancient Christian town of Maaloula
In September 2013, a day after Secretary of State John Kerry praised the Free Syrian Army as “a real moderate opposition,” the FSA took to the Internet to post videos of its attack on the ancient Syrian Christian city of Maaloula, one of the few places where Aramaic, the language of Jesus, is still spoken.
Video Syria's Nusra Front releases U.N. peacekeepers
Investigative journalist Patrick Poole reported in PJ Media that “multiple media reports indicate that the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) is operating openly with ISIS and other designated terrorist groups.”
Indeed. The New York Times reported in August that, according to Abu Osama, a member of a Nusra Front brigade that participated in the attack, the Arsal assault was “a combined operation involving fighters from the Free Syrian Army, the Nusra Front and ISIS.” The Times was skeptical:
Abu Osama’s remarks could not be immediately verified, and such cooperation between the F.S.A., the Nusra Front and ISIS would be unusual; the groups have clashed in bouts of rebel infighting in Syria.
The Times’ skepticism was unwarranted. Bassel Idriss, a Free Syrian Army commander, said in early September : “We are collaborating with the Islamic State and the Nusra Front by attacking the Syrian Army’s gatherings in … Qalamoun.” Perhaps aware his group is supposed to be full of “vetted moderates” who are ready to fight the Islamic State, not work with it, he added: “We have reached a point where we have to collaborate with anyone against unfairness and injustice. Let’s face it: The Nusra Front is the biggest power present right now in Qalamoun and we as FSA would collaborate on any mission they launch as long as it coincides with our values.” What mission and what values? “Our battle is with the Assad regime, and it is on Syrian lands only.”
In other words, they have no plans to go to battle against the Islamic State in Iraq, no matter what Barack Obama says.
Video ISIS: 'worlds richest terror group' in 60 seconds
People love the strong horse, said Osama bin Laden, and that applies to at least some members of the Free Syrian Army. Jordan Schachtel reported at Breitbart in July that “several factions within the Syrian opposition force known as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have pledged services to the Islamic State, the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Sources and eyewitnesses said that the FSA has handed over its weapons to the Islamic State in large numbers.”
Now the House and the Senate have given Barack Obama the green light to give them even more weapons, and the Senate is certain to agree. Will those, too, end up in the hands of the Islamic State?
Placing hope in and giving weapons to the Free Syrian Army to take down the Islamic State is the pinnacle of Obama’s fantasy-based policymaking. If only we had a viable opposition party in Congress – then this mad scheme might have been averted.
That picture is worth all the thousands of words that have been written on the topic. Thanks. BTTT!
When Benghazi blew Obama’s gun-running scheme to the Syrian “Moderates,” and Putin checkmated him on bombing Assad he had his “Isil Brothers” go all out with terrorism, chasing thousands of people from their homes, graphic executions and capturing Russian jets. Then 4 days ago threatened to retaliate if Syria shot down any American plane. Now the World would frown if Russia should object when Isil shoots down one US plane and Obama can spend billions taking out Assad’s Air Force with Allied and US Air Power. It worked out so well on Gaddafi, when he had no Air Force he was gone and Assad is gone without an Air Force and the “Isil Brothers” will control the ground war all the way to the Mediterranean Sea! And guess who just voted to help him?
All i can say is that we live in an insane world. Lunatics increasingly out of control.
The Soviet Union created those conditions in Afghanistan via its invasion and occupation. Good riddance to the thousands of Red Army thugs sent by our enemy to that hellhole.
Rand Slams Congress for Funding Egypt's Generals: 'How Does Your Conscience Feel Now?'Sen. Rand Paul is hammering his fellow senators for keeping billions in financial aid flowing to Egypt's military -- even as Cairo's security forces massacre anti-government activists. [by "anti-government activists" is meant church-burning Christian-murdering jihadists][Posted on 08/15/2013 5:44:10 PM PDT by Hoodat]
The Soviet Union did not create the aftermath of its departure nor did they create who the U.S. teamed up with to help achieve it; in fact the U.S. did not really care much about what was going to happen after the Soviets left, we just wanted to create a “Vietnam” for them - as Carter’s Zbigniew Brzezinski said at the start.
The U.S. chose to partner with the Islamist Saudis and Pakistanis, funding the Mujahaddeen and Al Queda and spawning the creation of the Taliban. That we did all on our own.
Yes, as a matter of fact, the Soviet Union did invade and occupy Afghanistan. Carter had enabled the invasion, and started what Reagan finished, which was supplying weapons and ammo to the mujahadeen.
The mujahadeen resistance to the Soviet invasion began immediately. The Soviets installed one puppet, that puppet signed a yellow-dog mutual defense pact, then was murdered in the presidential palace by the Red Army thugs, replaced by yet another puppet. The dead puppet was suspected of consorting with Afghans.
Afghanistan became a Red Army graveyard, and the whole experience helped shatter the USSR, which fell apart from the exertion of keeping pace with the US and internal rot.
The pro-Russkie trolls around here either pretend Reagan had nothing to do with mujahadeen in Afghanistan, or blame him for it and I hope get the zot. It was the best option.
The USSR was our enemy; Putin and his Russian dictatorship is our enemy. So is the worldwide leader in jihad, Iran, Putin’s ally.
“So is the worldwide leader in jihad, Iran”
Iran, run by a bunch of ultra fundamentalist SHI’ITE theocrats is NOT the worldwide leader of jihad, today, as that global enterprise has many sources and leaders and is overwhelmingly dominated by and funded by and controlled by and staffed by SUNNIS.
Iran is the worldwide leader in jihad. Your dedication to the Shiite cause is touching though.
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