The Jihadis Fighting Assad

[Comrade Grumpy]

The Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar has a pretty scary article on Syria as a magnet for jihadis:

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/bilad-al-sham-jihads-newest-hot-spot

Here are the four intro paragraphs:

Syria has become a magnet for the world’s jihadis.

It has been attracting them since the start of the crisis, lured by what many believe to be a divine promise that jihad in Bilad al-Sham, Greater Syria, will set the stage for the emergence of the true Islamic state.

With victory and the downfall of the regime thus pre-ordained, jihadis from far and wide have been heeding the call.

According to jihadi sources, the fighters currently operating in Syria include Jordanians, Iraqis, Palestinians, Kuwaitis, Tunisians, Libyans, Saudis and Yemenis, as well as Muslims from non-Arab countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. The biggest single contingent of foreign fighters is said to be composed of Lebanese, Jordanian, Iraqi and Palestinians who had previously fought against US forces in Iraq.

<snip>

And here's some of the folks involved:

Hard core Al Qaeda types: al-Qaeda’s Abdullah Azzam Brigades, the Jabhat al-Nusra li-Bilad al-Sham (Support Front for the Land of Syria) inspired by Mauritanian cleric Abul-Munther al-Shanqiti, and the Doura Fighting Group – espouse hardline takfiri ideology. They have lots of combat experience and want to purify Syria before moving on to their ultimate target: Jersusalem.

Not quite so hard core: Liwaa al-Umma (Banner of the Nation) Brigade which was formed by Libyan jihadists. It is led by two members of the Tripoli Brigade and subscribes to Islamic rules of warfare, which include not targeting non-combatants, carrying out reprisals against innocents, or harming property or possessions.

Also, the Suqour al-Sham (Hawks of Syria) Brigade, with more than 50 fighting units including the Muhammad al-Khalaf Brigade; the Daoud Brigade led by Hassan al-Aboud; the Ansar al-Haq Brigade led by Rashid Abu-Abdu; The Dhi Qar Brigade headed by Abdul Aziz bin-Wassam; the al-Muhajerin wal-Asar Brigade, whose leader is known as Abu-Musaab; the al-Khansa Brigade, headed by an Abu Shayma; and the Martyr Muhammad al-Abdallah Brigade, commanded by Nidal al-Hajj Ali.

Then there's al-Ansar Brigade, whose leader, Abu-Ali al-Ansari, died in the fighting in Homs.

And the Sheikh Hajjaj al-Ajami Brigade near the Iraq border, whose Salafi jihadi followers are taught that the Prophet foretold current events in Syria.

In Homs, 23 jihadi groups are fighting under the auspices of the Homs Military Council, which in turn is led by the Majlis al-Shura, a council of five clerics. The biggest is the Farouk Brigade, followed by the Khalid Ibn al-Waleed Brigade, which takes its political lead from the Muslim Brotherhood and is thought to have around 1,200 fighters, some of them from other Arab countries, including Libyans and Tunisians. Then there are the Abadelah, Omar Ibn-al-Khattab, al-Ahrar, Haraer Homs, and al-Mujahideen battalions. The Al-Mujahideen are supposed to be veterans of the Iraq war.

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The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

[pampango]

1. Tough call. Neither jihadi groups nor the dictator should be our "friends".

AFAIK the jihadi groups weren't in Syria until Assad repressed the demonstations in early 2011 and militarized the situation rather than negotiating a sharing of power with the people (something dictators generally are reluctant to do). Similarly jihadi groups weren't in Iraq until we invaded it. I think I see a pattern here.

I know some want us to reluctantly support the dictator (or at least, not support the opposition to him) in a form of real politic in which he is better than the alternative. I would counter that we have supported enough dictators over the decades because they seemed to offer 'stability' regardless of the price the people in his country have to pay for our "global vision".

If Assad's plan was to militarize the conflict so that he would either win quickly (with tanks and artillery the odds were in his favor) or, if the conflict dragged on, eventually present the world with an "it's me or the jihadis" alternative, then he is a genius - if not a modern Nelson Mandela.

Of course, who is forgotten in the "it's me or the jihadis" scenario - the people of Syria. Like people everywhere most of them just want to live their lives in peace, go to work every day, support their families and and have some say in how they are governed - not exactly radical concepts. Whether Assad wins and holds on to the power bequeathed to him by his father or the jihadis win, the future does not look good for them. I suppose we can hope there is at least a slight chance of a third option involving last-minute negotiations that would include Assad's departure before a final battle finished his rule.

I'm sure that dictators everywhere are pulling for him. The strategy of 'repress protests first' then, if repression doesn't work, present the world with a "it's the me or the jihadis" choice is a tactic that dictators (who have the tanks, artillery and secret police in their countries) can embrace.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. Maybe McCain, Lieberman, and Graham should enlist with one of these groups.