Rebels push forward in southern Syria

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By BASSEM MROUE

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels backed by the United States are making their biggest gains yet south of the capital Damascus, capturing a string of towns from government forces and aiming to carve out a swath of territory leading to the doorstep of President Bashar Assad's seat of power.

The advances appear to be a rare visible success story from efforts by the U.S. and its allies to train and arm moderate rebel fighters.

The rebel forces are believed to include fighters who graduated from a nearly 2-year-old CIA training program based in Syria's southern neighbor Jordan. The group known as the Friends of Syria, including Jordan, France the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, are backing the rebels with money and weapons, said Gen. Ibrahim Jbawi, the spokesman for the Free Syrian Army's southern front.

The gains are a contrast to northern Syria, where U.S.-backed rebels are collapsing in the face of an assault by Islamic militants. Notably, in the south, the rebels are working together with fighters from al-Qaida's Syria branch, whose battle-hardened militants have helped them gain the momentum against government forces. The cooperation points to the difficulty in American efforts to build up "moderate" factions while isolating militants.

FULL story at link.



FILE - In this March 18, 2013, file image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, free Syrian Army fighters fire at Syrian army soldiers during a fierce firefight in Daraa al-Balad, Syria. Syrian rebels backed by the United States are making their biggest gains yet south of the capital Damascus, capturing a string of towns from government forces and aiming to carve out a swath of territory leading to the doorstep of President Bashar Assad's seat of power. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video, File)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141128/ml--syria-southern_front-89921ed51c.html

[JonLP24]

1. Assad is by far the worst human rights violator in this conflict

but there are no good guys in this conflict

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/03/20/syria-armed-opposition-groups-committing-abuses

[jamzrockz]

3. Yea, cos we all

know the rebels do not eat the hearts of fallen soldiers, kill their POW, attack and destroy shia cities who do not support them, use chemical weapons. And I am not even talking about the bad rebels or ISIS.

Anybody who thinks Assad is the worst actor in this conflict should not be taken seriously. I hope the country can defeat the terrorists trying to turn it into another failed state like Libya. The people need peace and the rebels are not interested in any of that.

Viva All Syria and not just the Sunni Wahhabi Islamic fundamentalists.

[JonLP24]

6. Taken seriously?

Most of the serious human rights violations documented by the UN have been committed by the Syrian army and security services as part of military or search operations

The UN mentioned several reports of security forces killing injured victims by putting them into refrigerated cells in hospital morgues.[4]:22

Amnesty International decided to enter the country uninvited in spring 2012 and documented "gross violations of human rights on a massive scale" by the Syrian military and shabiha, "many of which amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_violations_during_the_Syrian_Civil_War

[pampango]

5. Indeed he is but if you militarize the response to mass protest

particularly in the Middle East, you know that plenty of nasty folks who will come join the fight.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. Wait, what? We're training and supporting rebels who are allied with Al Qaeda?

Notably, in the south, the rebels are working together with fighters from al-Qaida's Syria branch, whose battle-hardened militants have helped them gain the momentum against government forces. The cooperation points to the difficulty in American efforts to build up "moderate" factions while isolating militants.

We're fighting Al Qaeda all over the world--except where we are allied with them.

Our Syria policy is so fucked.

[CJCRANE]

4. I'd be interested to know what mid-level military officers and soldiers

think of the possibility that they might be sent to fight rebels that we or our allies armed and trained.

Do they just see it as part of the job: they'll fight anything they're pointed at, or are they beginning to see the absurdity of our self-inflicted and self-feeding wars that never seem to end?

It just feels like it is becoming more and more obvious that the left hand is fighting the right hand.

[daleo]

7. But these are good Al Qaeda

I imagine that they have special hats that say so, funded by the U.S. Taxpayer.

[freshwest]

8. FWIW, I do not approve of this action and have seen no justification for it.

Syria had to sign unto the CWC, and that meant Assad. Who is a no good, but Obama forced his hand.

IDK if this AQ rebel group is the answer to stop ISIL and see little difference in the long run between ISIL and AQ. ISIL is simply AQ'd greatest dream come true, in full color, the color of blood.

There's a dearth of information and analysis from that region. Either because MSM has switched the focus in typical Segretti fashion to cut of the narrative of the Kurds, or they have failed.

[quadrature]

9. the last peson alive wins Syria?

from a US point of view...what is the goal?

perpetual chaos?

..........................
if this was a Hollywood B movie,
you can always end the movie
by having the characters get shot
or have their car go off a cliff.

what is the endgame here?