http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-09/john-kerry-we-would-prefer-russia-not-supplying-assistance-syria
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/09/2013 15:38 -0400
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=383836
Najib Ghadbian, a representative of one of the US-backed rebel factions, insisted from their view “it seems like there’s really nothing new,” adding that they stand by their previous statements that no talks could ever include Assad or anyone else “with blood on their hands.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/08/free-syrian-army-rebels-defect-islamist-group
http://www.infowars.com/us-army-chief-suggests-military-intervention-in-syria-before-end-of-summer/
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/05/07/obama-moral-obligation-to-end-syrian-civil-war/
( Obama twiddling his thumbs trying to figure out what to do... )
Citing a “moral obligation” to end the ongoing Syrian Civil War, the Obama Administration has now announced a deal with the Russian government to jointly back a negotiated settlement.
Yet Idriss admits that nearly a year after he defected the rebels remain badly fragmented, a problem he blames on the number of civilian-turned-fighter groups. He also conceded that as it stands the force lacks the skill to actually win the ongoing civil war.
With the Syrian military caught up in fighting its civil war, the fear among Western officials is that retaliation could come in the form of terrorist attacks targeting Israeli sites or Israeli tourists in other countries, with Hezbollah’s network likely to facilitate such a strike.
John Kerry: "We Would Prefer That Russia Is Not Supplying Assistance To Syria"
Following up on the earlier report that Israel had warned the US that Russia was preparing to sell "advanced" military equipment to Syria (in False Flag Broken Telephone fashion), it was only a matter of time before the new US Secretary of State voiced his indignation over a development whereby someone else was providing arms to a conflict country's government, instead of the US providing its own weapons to said country's Al Qaeda-assisted rebel forces. Sure enough, he did: "I think we have made it crystal clear that we would prefer that Russia is not supplying assistance," Mr. Kerry said at a news conference after meeting the new Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino." While there was no immediate quote substantiating it, there is a rumor that Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's response was a less than politically correct phrasing along the lines that he "would prefer that the US not supply assistance to Syrian rebels."
Secretary of State John Kerry said the transfer of advanced missile defense systems from Russia to Syria could potentially destabilize Israel's security, as he announced new humanitarian aid for Syria.Mr. Kerry said the U.S. has expressed concerns about what the S-300 batteries in Syria would mean for Israel's security. He wouldn't address what the missiles might mean for Syria's civil war.Speaking to reporters in Rome Thursday, the secretary of state stressed the U.S. would prefer Russia not to provide military assistance to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia was preparing to sell the weapons to Mr. Assad's regime, saying Israel had warned the U.S.Mr. Kerry also praised Moscow for helping try to organize peace talks on Syria."I think we have made it crystal clear that we would prefer that Russia is not supplying assistance," Mr. Kerry said at a news conference after meeting the new Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.Mr. Kerry also announced Thursday that the U.S. would provide $100 million in new funds aimed at providing humanitarian aid for Syria. He said the funds were "another step forward," in helping support refugees and civilians trapped in the spiral of violence inside Syria.
And the reason why America is beloved all over the world:
Mr. Kerry also reiterated that Mr. Assad cannot be part of any transitional government in the country. "The foreign minister will work with us, as they have, to try to bring all the parties to the table so that we can effect a transition government by mutual consent on both sides, which clearly means that, in our judgment, President Assad will not be a component of that transitional government," he said.
Or, in other words, popular opinion abroad is irrelevant if and when the US has spoken what it believes is best in order to "liberate" said popular opinion.
« Breaking News »
DEBKAfile May 9, 2013, 7:26 PM (GMT+02:00)
Syrian Dep. Foreign Minister Faisal Miqdad said Damascus would respond instantly to any further Israeli attacks. Speaking to AFP Thursday, he said the Syrian army had been directed to hit back with powerful and painful blows without referring to government authority for permission.
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/09/18148044-exclusive-turkish-pm-erdogan-syria-has-crossed-red-line-used-chemical-weapons?lite
Turkey's prime minister is charging that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons against its people and has called on the U.S. to take stronger action, he told NBC News' Ann Curry in an exclusive interview Thursday.
"It is clear the regime has used chemical weapons and missiles," Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Erdogan gave no specifics about when and where the weapons were allegedly used, but he said he believes President Obama's "red line" for the U.S. in deciding whether to take action has been crossed.
"It has been passed long time ago," said Erdogan, who is meeting with Obama on May 16.
"We want the United States to assume more responsibilities and take further steps. And what sort of steps they will take, we are going to talk about this."
Erdogan cited as evidence the "remainders of missiles" — at least 200 by his count — that he believes were used in chemical attacks, along with the injuries of Syrians brought over the Turkish border for medical treatment.
"There are patients who are brought to our hospitals who were wounded by these chemical weapons," he said.
Erdogan rejected any suggestion that the rebels might have used chemical weapons.
"There is no way I can believe in this now. First of all, how are they going to obtain this? And who will give this to them?" he said.
"But if it exists, we are against this...We are against whoever holds the weapons."
http://www.france24.com/en/20130509-hezbollah-says-syria-supply-game-changing-arms
AFP - Syria is to supply Lebanon's Hezbollah with "game-changing weapons" despite Israel's air strikes reportedly aimed at cutting off the flow of arms, the Shiite group's leader said on Thursday.
"You Israelis say your objective is to stop the capability of the resistance (against Israel) from growing... but Syria will provide (Hezbollah) with game-changing weapons it has not had before," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech.
Erdogan due to US on May 16
Erdogan will meet US President Obama as part of his visit to US
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a visit to Washington on May 16, 2013 at an invitation by the US President Barack Obama.
In a statement released on Friday, the Turkish Prime Ministry Press Center said that Erdogan will meet Obama at the White House.
Prime Minister Erdogan and President Obama will discuss bilateral relations, commercial and economic cooperation, counter-terrorism and many other regional and international issues, including Syria, the Turkish Prime Ministry also said.
US President Obama will welcome Turkey`s PM Erdogan
White House spokesman Jay Carney stated that the US President Barack Obama looks forward to welcome Turkey`s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as other key leaders from the Middle East to the White House.
Obama will be hosting Erdogan at the White House on May 16 and prior to that, on April 23, Obama will welcome to the White House the Amir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and on April 26, Obama will come together with King Abdullah II of Jordan.
During the press conference, Carney was asked if these visits were related with providing assistance to Syrian opposition, Carney replied saying, "As you know, President Obama has very close relationships with these leaders, and he has a deep personal interest in the region as you saw during his recent trip. He will use these opportunities to discuss the complex developments in the broader Middle East, so not just Syria, but including Syria."
Carney added, "There are obviously a number of issues for these leaders and the president to discuss, including Syria, his recent visit to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and the broader developments in the Arab Spring. So he looks forward to these visits, and they reflect his commitment and interest in the region and in our policies towards the region."
Friday, April 05, 2013
Syria Rebels Reject US-Russia Dialogue Calls
Demand Assad Resign Unconditionally
by Jason Ditz, May 08, 2013
The Obama Administration’s decision to get on board with Russian pushes for a negotiated settlement to Syria’s Civil War took a serious hit today, with rebels reiterating their opposition to talks.
Najib Ghadbian, a representative of one of the US-backed rebel factions, insisted from their view “it seems like there’s really nothing new,” adding that they stand by their previous statements that no talks could ever include Assad or anyone else “with blood on their hands.”
The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) issued a similar statement, saying they would “welcome” talks, but only after the Syrian government gave them everythingthey wanted beforehand – the unilateral ouster of Assad and the resignation of the entire government.
Secretary of State John Kerry insisted the US-Russian plan will focus on the previous Geneva deal, which called for a transitional government but didn’t mention what would happen to Assad. The deal was reached under Kofi Annan, and has been condemned by the rebels since. That seems unlikely to change.
US Asked Moderate Syrian Rebels to Fight Al-Nusra
John Glaser, May 08, 2013
Much has been made of the Obama administration’s decision to set up shop in Jordanunder the pretense of containing the Syrian conflict and of training so-called moderate elements in the Syrian rebel opposition. That is the pretense that has so far been publicized in the news media and is thus the pretense that critics have denounced as a matter of policy.
The popular refrain among those who oppose US intervention in Syria has been that the Obama administration is siding with Sunni jihadists to unseat the Assad regime. I’ve argued that is not what is happening, or at least that it is grossly oversimplified.
Another piece of the puzzle has been made public with a report from journalist Phil Sands who interviewed one of the Syrian rebel commanders that met with US officials in Jordan. According to him, “the Americans were more interested in talking about Jabhat Al Nusra, the Al Qaeda-affiliated group waging war on the Syrian regime, than they were in helping the rebels advance on Damascus.”
The Americans began discussing the possibility of drone strikes on Al Nusra camps inside Syria and tried to enlist the rebels to fight their fellow insurgents.“The US intelligence officer said, ‘We can train 30 of your fighters a month, and we want you to fight Al Nusra’,” the rebel commander recalled.Opposition forces should be uniting against Mr Al Assad’s more powerful and better-equipped army, not waging war among themselves, the rebel commander replied. The response from a senior US intelligence officer was blunt.“I’m not going to lie to you. We’d prefer you fight Al Nusra now, and then fight Assad’s army. You should kill these Nusra people. We’ll do it if you don’t,” the rebel leader quoted the officer as saying.What the commander says transpired in Jordan illustrates a dilemma that has preoccupied, even paralysed, Syria’s opposition and their international supporters – how to deal with the expanding role of Islamic extremists in the anti-Assad insurgency.Other meetings with Western and Arab intelligence services have shown a similar obsession with Al Nusra, the commander said.“All anyone wants is hard information about Al Nusra, it seems to be all they are really interested in. It’s the most valuable commodity you can have when dealing with these intelligence agencies,” he said.
According to this rebel commander, his goal of overthrowing the Assad regime was sidelined in favor of American plans to have the rebels fight among themselves. This falls in line with several other publicly available accounts of the US approach.
In describing Jordan’s role serving as a conduit for arms going to a select group of Syrian rebels, the Guardian reported last month that the US and its allies “have sharply increased their backing of some rebels to try to stop the advances of al-Qaeda-linked groups among them.”
“A push to defeat al-Qaeda, rather than an outright bid to oust Syria’s leader, Bashar al-Assad, is Jordan’s driving force,” the Guardian added.
In addition to the clandestine effort in Jordan to fight the Nusra Front, the Obama administration has also sent the CIA back into Iraq to support Iraqi state militias (the Shiite regime in Baghdad is an ally of Assad, nominally at least) to fight al-Qaeda affiliates pouring into Syria to join the rebellion. The Obama administration even considered a request from the Iraqi government to use drones to bomb Islamist rebel forces along the Iraq-Syria border.
It’s true that Obama has sent non-lethal and (indirectly) lethal aid to the rebels, despite the fact that the great bulk of the fighters who actually matter are jihadists. But the truth is, Obama has ruled out sending decisive aid, lethal or non-lethal, to Syria’s rebels. He reportedly overruled the suggestions of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey – all of whom advocated arming the rebels. Instead, Obama made policy moves like designating the al-Qaeda in Iraq offshoot in Syria a terrorist organization and pressuring Saudi Arabia not to send heavier arms like anti-aircraft weapons.
As the State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said back in January, even as the US supports the Syrian opposition in some abstract way, it is of utmost importance to “maintain the functions of the state.” Syria may have been floated as a target for regime change by the Bush administration’s most fanciful neoconservatives, but Obama sees the chaos of Sunni jihadists taking control of Syria as a much worse outcome than Assad sticking around a while longer.
That said, this policy shift comes far too late. The Syrian war is now early in its third year and weapons from Washington’s Wahabi zealots in Saudi Arabia and in places like Qatar have undoubtedly made their way into the hands of jihadists. The protracted conflict, as Peter Harling and Sarah Birke write at The Middle East Research and Information Project, “never would have reached such cataclysmic proportions were it not for more than a little help from abroad.”
“The opposition would have thought twice about taking up arms had it not been convinced by shallow shows of Western outrage that it would not be left to face the consequences alone,” they argue.
US foreign policy is constantly remedying the catastrophes it has previously wrought. Bush’s war for regime change in Iraq gave rise to al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Obama’s meddling (and that of his allies in the Gulf) in Syria’s civil conflict prompted AQI to move to Syria and fight Assad as Jabhat al-Nusra. Now the meddling continues to try and eliminate al-Nusra, which has quickly become the foremost element in Syria’s rebellion. It is an endless trail of failures, leading to more interventions, which lead to more failures.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/08/free-syrian-army-rebels-defect-islamist-group
Free Syrian Army rebels defect to Islamist group Jabhat al-Nusra
The well-resourced organisation, which is linked to al-Qaida, is luring many anti-Assad fighters away, say brigade commanders
Email
The flag of the Islamist rebel group Jabhat al-Nusra flying over the main square of the city of Raqqa in Syria. Photograph: Reuters
Syria's main armed opposition group, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), is losing fighters and capabilities to Jabhat al-Nusra, an Islamist organisation with links to al-Qaida that is emerging as the best-equipped, financed and motivated force fighting Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Evidence of the growing strength of al-Nusra, gathered from Guardian interviews with FSA commanders across Syria, underlines the dilemma for the US, Britain and other governments as they ponder the question of arming anti-Assad rebels.
John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said that if negotiations went ahead between the Syrian government and the opposition – as the US and Russia proposed on Tuesday – "then hopefully [arming the Syrian rebels] would not be necessary".
The agreement between Washington and Moscow creates a problem for the UK and France, which have proposed lifting or amending the EU arms embargo on Syria to help anti-Assad forces. The Foreign Office welcomed the agreement as a "potential step forward" but insisted: "Assad and his close associates have lost all legitimacy. They have no place in the future of Syria." Opposition leaders were sceptical about prospects for talks if Assad remained in power.
Illustrating their plight, FSA commanders say that entire units have gone over to al-Nusra while others have lost a quarter or more of their strength to them recently.
"Fighters feel proud to join al-Nusra because that means power and influence," said Abu Ahmed, a former teacher from Deir Hafer who now commands an FSA brigade in the countryside near Aleppo. "Al-Nusra fighters rarely withdraw for shortage of ammunition or fighters and they leave their target only after liberating it," he added. "They compete to carry out martyrdom [suicide] operations."
Abu Ahmed and others say the FSA has lost fighters to al-Nusra in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and Deir al-Zor and the Damascus region. Ala'a al-Basha, commander of the Sayyida Aisha brigade, warned the FSA chief of staff, General Salim Idriss, about the issue last month. Basha said 3,000 FSA men have joined al-Nusra in the last few months, mainly because of a lack of weapons and ammunition. FSA fighters in the Banias area were threatening to leave because they did not have the firepower to stop the massacre in Bayda, he said.
The FSA's Ahrar al-Shimal brigade joined al-Nusra en masse while the Sufiyan al-Thawri brigade in Idlib lost 65 of its fighters to al-Nusra a few months ago for lack of weapons. According to one estimate the FSA has lost a quarter of all its fighters.
Al-Nusra has members serving undercover with FSA units so they can spot potential recruits, according to Abu Hassan of the FSA's al-Tawhid Lions brigade.
Ideology is another powerful factor. "Fighters are heading to al-Nusra because of its Islamic doctrine, sincerity, good funding and advanced weapons," said Abu Islam of the FSA's al-Tawhid brigade in Aleppo. "My colleague who was fighting with the FSA's Ahrar Suriya asked me: 'I'm fighting with Ahrar Suriya brigade, but I want to know if I get killed in a battle, am I going to be considered as a martyr or not?' It did not take him long to quit FSA and join al-Nusra. He asked for a sniper rifle and got one immediately."
FSA commanders say they have suffered from the sporadic nature of arms supplies. FSA fighter Adham al-Bazi told the Guardian from Hama: "Our main problem is that what we get from abroad is like a tap. Sometimes it's turned on, which means weapons are coming and we are advancing, then, all of a sudden, the tap dries up, and we stop fighting or even pull out of our positions."
The US, which has outlawed al-Nusra as a terrorist group, has hesitated to arm the FSA, while the western and Gulf-backed Syrian Opposition Coalition has tried to assuage concerns by promising strict control over weapons. "We are ready to make lists of the weapons and write down the serial numbers," Idriss told NPR at the weekend. "The FSA is very well organised and when we distribute weapons and ammunition we know exactly to which hands they are going."
Syria's government has capitalised successfully on US and European divisions over the weapons embargo by emphasising the "jihadi narrative" – as it has since the start of largely peaceful protests in March 2011. Assad himself claimed in a recent interview: "There is no FSA, only al-Qaida." Syrian state media has played up the recent pledge of loyalty by Jabhat al-Nusra to al-Qaida in Iraq.
Western governments say they are aware of the al-Nusra problem, which is being monitored by intelligence agencies, but they are uncertain about its extent.
"It is clear that fighters are moving from one group to another as one becomes more successful," said a diplomat who follows Syria closely. "But it's very area-specific. You can't talk about a general trend in which [Jabhat al-Nusra] has more momentum than others. It is true that some say JAN is cleaner and better than other groups, but there are as many stories about it being bad." Critics point to punishments meted out by Sharia courts and its use of suicide bombings.
The FSA's shortage of weapons and other resources compared with Jabhat al-Nusra is a recurrent theme. The loss of Khirbet Ghazaleh, a key junction near Dera'a in southern Syria, was blamed on Wednesday on a lack of weapons its defenders had hoped would be delivered from Jordan.
"If you join al-Nusra, there is always a gun for you but many of the FSA brigades can't even provide bullets for their fighters," complained Abu Tamim, an FSA man who joined Jabhat al-Nusra in Idlib province. "My nephew is in Egypt, he wants to come to Syria to fight but he doesn't have enough money. Al-Nusra told him: 'Come and we will even pay your flight tickets.' He is coming to fight with al-Nusra because he does not have any other way."
Jabhat al-Nusra is winning support in Deir al-Zor, according to Abu Hudaifa, another FSA defector. "They are protecting people and helping them financially. Al-Nusra is in control of most of the oil wells in the city." The Jabhat al-Nusra media, with songs about jihad and martyrdom, is extremely influential.
Abu Zeid used to command the FSA's Syria Mujahideen brigade in the Damascus region and led all its 420 fighters to al-Nusra. "Since we joined I and my men are getting everything we need to keep us fighting to liberate Syria and to cover our families' expenses, though fighting with al-Nusra is governed by very strict rules issued by the operations command or foreign fighters," he said. "There is no freedom at all but you do get everything you want.
"No one should blame us for joining al-Nusra. Blame the west if Syria is going to become a haven for al-Qaida and extremists. The west left Assad's gangs to slaughter us. They never bothered to support the FSA. They disappointed ordinary Syrian protesters who just wanted their freedom and to have Syria for all Syrians."
And.......
« Breaking News »
DEBKAfile May 8, 2013, 1:01 PM (GMT+02:00)
After a two-month bombardment, the Syrian army Wednesday recaptured from rebel fighters the Horan region’s Kirbet Ghazaleh which sits athwart an important transit route to Jordan and is key to the town of Deraa where the anti-Assad uprising erupted in March 2011. Syrian opposition forces accused the Jordanian-backed rebel military council of failing to supply the town’s defenders with the weapons needed for repulsing Assad’s forces.
« Breaking News »
DEBKAfile May 8, 2013, 9:00 AM (GMT+02:00)
US Secretary of State John Kerry’s three-hour conversation in Moscow Tuesday with President Vladimir Putin failed to bridge their differences but compromised on an international conference soon. At their news conference early Wednesday, Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov brushed off questions on Assad’s fate. “We are not interested in the fate of certain person but the fate of the total Syrian people,” said Lavrov, while Kerry said: “I’m not going to decide that tonight." Russia is a staunch supporter of the Syrian ruler, while the Obama administration insists he must go.
« Breaking News »
DEBKAfile May 7, 2013, 10:15 PM (GMT+02:00)
In his first reaction to Israeli air strikes in Damascus, Bashar Assad said Tuesday that Syria is capable of confronting Israe, after meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Damascus.. “The Israeli aggression on Syria reveals the extent of Israeli and other regional and Western states’ involvement in ongoing events in Syria,” he said. According to the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen network, Assad also said “The Golan will become the frontline for resistance.”
http://www.infowars.com/us-army-chief-suggests-military-intervention-in-syria-before-end-of-summer/
US Army Chief Suggests Military Intervention in Syria Before End of Summer
“The next three, four months, we probably have the capability to do it”
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
May 8, 2013
Infowars.com
May 8, 2013
The U.S. Army’s top officer has said that the window of opportunity for a military assault on Syria is within the next three to four months and that budget cuts would render intervention after the end of summer unlikely.
Gen. Ray Odierno. Image: Defense.gov
Speaking with reporters yesterday Gen. Ray Odierno, Army chief of staff, warned that planned training cutbacks due to the sequester meant that if the Obama administration wanted to give the green light for intervention it would have to act quickly.
“Readiness is OK right now, but it’s degrading significantly because our training is reducing. So, the next three, four months, we probably have the capability to do it,” he said, adding, “Next year, it becomes a little bit more risky.”
Odierno made it clear that the longer it took to make the decision, the less likely the US is to intervene.
“If you ask me today, we have forces that can go. I think it will change over time because the longer we go canceling training and reducing our training, the readiness levels go down,” he said.
Odierno also praised FSA rebels, the majority of whom have pledged allegiance to and are being led by Al-Qaeda terrorists, for their fighting capabilities and said it was not a matter of if but when they claimed victory.
“I think from what I’ve seen is they have made some significant gains. I think they are controlling the territory. It makes you think that, you know, it’s going to be difficult for the regime over time to survive,” Odierno said.
However, recent victories by Assad’s forces, including the re-taking of central areas of Homs, are being seen by some as a reason for the west’s increased urgency to arm rebel fighters.
Odierno acknowledged the presence of terrorists amongst the FSA ranks, but attempted to downplay their role as comparatively minor.
“With the rebels, we do know there’s some terrorists in there,” he said. “Obviously, we don’t want them to be involved in the outcome, we don’t want them to gain power because of the impact they could have on the rest of the region — regionally and then potentially internationally.”
As the White House prepares to arm militants with heavy weaponry, the US Army and the Obama administration’s support for opposition fighters has puzzled many who point out that the FSA rebels are primarily comprised of sectarian extremists and jihadists who have repeatedly made it clear that they view America as a sworn enemy.
Rebels have been routinely caught ransacking Christian churches, burning US flags, chanting anti-American slogans and singing the praises of Osama Bin Laden as they glorify the 9/11 attacks, while also espousing their desire to fly the Al-Qaeda flag over the White House.
The administration has already sent well over half a billion dollars in aid to such groups, while the CIA has overseen “a secret airlift of arms and equipment” to rebels since early 2012, according to the New York Times.
Appetite amongst the America public for for yet another US-led war is noticeably lackluster. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 10 per cent supported military intervention in Syria while 61 per cent opposed getting involved. Even if President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces used chemical weapons (the only reliable evidence suggests such weapons have actually been used by rebels), the figure favoring intervention remains at just 27 per cent.
*********************
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/05/07/obama-moral-obligation-to-end-syrian-civil-war/
( Obama twiddling his thumbs trying to figure out what to do... )
Obama: Moral Obligation to End Syrian Civil War
Agrees to Deal With Russia to Push 'Political Solution'
by Jason Ditz, May 07, 2013
Previous efforts at a negotiated settlement in Syria stalled over US (and by extension pro-US rebel) demands that President Assad unconditionally resign before the talks begin. President Obama is suggesting that the policy may be changing however.
Citing a “moral obligation” to end the ongoing Syrian Civil War, the Obama Administration has now announced a deal with the Russian government to jointly back a negotiated settlement.
Russia’s been on board for quite some time with talks, and has been more than willing to push the Assad government into negotiation. Getting the rebels on board is a more complicated matter, especially since even if the US does start pushing them, therebel leadership is so disjointedthat it isn’t clear how to get them all on board for the talks. With al-Qaeda-backed factions also in the mix, it is entirely possible that a “deal” between the pro-US rebels and the Assad government wouldn’t end the war at any rate.
The apparent shift also has Obama taking heat for not attacking Syria outright, with Congressmen citing the “red line” of chemical weapons use despite a notable lack of proof. President Obama says that the attack was “perceived” but that this wasn’t enough to warrant military action.
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/05/07/syrian-rebel-general-admits-fighters-remain-badly-fragmented/
( At the end of the day , Syria will wind up as a Libya type militia run country or a Moslem Brotherhood run country , choose one .... )
Syrian Rebel General Admits Fighters Remain Badly Fragmented
Leader Has Little Influence Over Rebel Fighters
by Jason Ditz, May 07, 2013
Gen. Salim Idriss, the head of the rebel Free Syrian Army’s (FSA) “Supreme Military Command,” has been endorsed repeatedly by Western officials, and is constantly courting more weapons, more money, and more supplies for the rebellion.
Yet Idriss admits that nearly a year after he defected the rebels remain badly fragmented, a problem he blames on the number of civilian-turned-fighter groups. He also conceded that as it stands the force lacks the skill to actually win the ongoing civil war.
US aid has been focused through Idriss’ group, and in April the $123 million aid announcement made by Secretary of State John Kerry came in the form of supplies straight to his command.
Yet as Islamists gain power in the rebellion, Idriss admits he has little influence over a lot of the rebel fighters on the ground, and only indirect control over even some of the brigades operating under the FSA label.
Idriss insists he does not, and will not, work with Jabhat al-Nusra, a large militant faction openly allied with al-Qaeda. Officials have presented that as a reason to endorse his group as a moderate alternative, but as the war stagnates, his limited influence leaves open the question of whether the aid is simply about grandstanding about regime change as opposed to backing real Syrian rebel leaders.
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/05/07/western-officials-fret-syrian-retaliation-for-israeli-attacks/
( The west hopes / prays for retaliation .... syria not inclined to take the bait so far... )
Western Officials Fret Syrian Retaliation for Israeli Attacks
Palestinian Group Downplays 'Green-Light' for Attacks
by Jason Ditz, May 07, 2013
Israeli officials have suggested in comments to the press that they see attacking Syria as a low-risk venture that probably won’t lead to any retaliation of any kind. Western officials are less confident.
With the Syrian military caught up in fighting its civil war, the fear among Western officials is that retaliation could come in the form of terrorist attacks targeting Israeli sites or Israeli tourists in other countries, with Hezbollah’s network likely to facilitate such a strike.
There is also the report that the Assad government has officially green-lit the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) to launch strikes on Israel. The group is downplaying the report, however, saying it is more “symbolic” than anything.
The PFLP was in control of a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus before the war began, but it was lost to rebel fighters. The group doesn’t seem to have much of a following in the occupied territories, however, so it is unclear if they even could attack Israel in a serious way, which it seems they don’t intend to do at any rate.
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