The “moderate” rebels are a lie told by State Department funded Elizabeth O’Bagy.
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”.
Wow. In over their ears.