Posted on 12/15/2015 11:03:47 AM PST by Timber Rattler
I thought the “down to 5” group was a group of fighters we trained in Turkey who were supposed to meet up with this group in Syria.
After only getting 5 folks to train for $50 million dollars, the government is just now figuring out the “group is on verge of collapse?”
But John Kerry has been focusing on glolbulwarmingchange which is a bigger threat and thus lost track of Syria stuff.
They all defected to ISIS as planned.
The same sort of "success" that a monkey wrench would have if tossed in a bunch of gears.
Idiot Obama can only achieve Cloward Piven. An idiot can't do anything else.
What does most secular mean???
A security and espionage organization will always be necessary, but it must NEVER be permitted to exist as an unaccountable shadow government. That has got to ended. The tail has been wagging the dog for years.
The Russians say about 5,000 of the “moderate rebels” have joined Russia and the SAA in battling Daesh ... “rebels” who join them at this stage have a shot at being included in the reformed Syrian government if and when it’s formed
Even though the US did not provide the FSA introductions Lavrov requested 2 months ago, it seems the Russians have been finding ways and means to make a deal with some of these splinter groups
Aparently the RUAF and Russian land and sea launched cruise missiles have been effective recruitment tools
From the article:
FSA fighters are losing faith in their own leaders.
“They regularly steal our salaries,” said Salabeh, “We’re supposed to get $400 a month, but we only actually receive $100.”
“If somebody is wounded, they just dump him in Jordan and abandon him,” he said. “Widows of martyred fighters also receive nothing after their deaths.”
By contrast, the Nusra Front (the al Quaeda Local) reportedly pays its fighters $1,000 a month and cares for its wounded members, paying their medical bills and providing for the families of those killed in combat.
...a self-described FSA supporter, said the opposition’s main problem was that various groups owed their allegiance to foreign governments that provide the money.”
It looks to me like the Saudis are withdrawing funding for some of their mercenary surrogates (FSA), as part of a deal.
Installing a Muslim Brotherhood dictatorship has flopped, time is running out on the Obama Admin, and the Saudis are surrounded and bleeding red ink.
“Even though the US did not provide the FSA introductions Lavrov requested 2 months ago, it seems the Russians have been finding ways and means to make a deal with some of these splinter groups”
My guess is that the Saudis handed them over, after cutting a deal with the Russians. The Saudis have been paying their salaries.
My guess is they got tired of hiding in ruined buildings and whispering aloha snackbar everytime they heard a jet or helo and sent emissaries to pledge their groups’ loyalty to a new warlord
I see hints in social media that Assad has been fairly liberal about offering asylum to some of those who surrender without killing their attackers. Remember that some of these “FSA” are really defected army personnel, seculars not rabid islamists, who might have bought a Turkish-CIA line about overthrowing Assad but now see the SAA well fed, well armed, motivated, and kicking butt backed by what they must now see, to them, as the world’s most powerful military
“I see hints in social media that Assad has been fairly liberal about offering asylum to some of those who surrender”
Roger that.
The Syrians and the Russians have publicly offered to take former rebels back in. Some whole units have cut deals with the regime (such as handing over big parts of Homs).
On an individual basis, the Saudis are laying off, and the regime is hiring. Buying (or selling) loyalty is cheaper than fighting to the death, and it is a common Arab practice.
And as you point out, it is starting to look more like a losing position to fight the Assad regime. Native Syrians have their families to worry about as well. It is important for them to end up on the winning side.
Which Fake Obama backed Syrian Rebel group would that be again
That’s what happens when you let OFail watch your six. :-)
Wars are never ended by negotiations; they are won when one side surrenders unconditionally to the other side.
eliminating ISIS is FSA focus is a LIE
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.