'US, allies back armed gangs in Syria'

[The Northerner]

Syrian state newspapers said on Sunday that al-Qaeda is leading the terrorist attacks in the country with the support of the United States and some Arab governments.

An interview with Lizzie Phelan, journalist and broadcaster

[tabatha]

1. joke time !

The only people who have tried to support the Syrian rebels are some of the Libyan rebels.

Lizzie Phelan is hardly credible.

[leveymg]

2. You are directly contradicted by the testimony of the Director of US Natl Intelligence, and you know

it because I've had to remind you of this in the past. The opposition fighters has been joined by al-Qaeda and other Jihadists whom the US says is carrying out terrorist bombings inside Syria; this is not the first time that you have been called on this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/al-qaeda-infiltrating-syrian-opposition-us-officials-say/2012/02/16/gIQA9LDJIR_story.html

Members of al-Qaeda have infiltrated Syrian opposition groups, and likely executed recent bombings in the nation’s capital and largest city, the United States’ top intelligence official said Thursday.

The remarks by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper are the most definitive to date from a senior Obama administration official on al-Qaeda’s efforts to insert itself into the Syrian uprising.

Why do you continue to deny that al Qaeda is carrying out bombings in Syria? It is you who lacks credibility on this issue.

[TheWraith]

3. Ahh, the thick, sulfurous smell of fresh Iranian state propaganda. nt

[leveymg]

4. The tape loop is short and looks a bit amateurish, but that doesn't make the report untrue.

It is grounded in fact, and conforms with the best publicly available information released on the subject. I disagree with Ms. Phelan, however, as I haven't seen sufficient evidence to directly link the opposition arms with the US or any NATO power. There is no question, however, that the Saudis and GCC states are financing the SLA along with the foreign Jihadis who are reportedly carrying out the terrorist bombings.

Nonetheless, Ms. Phelan is right that there is an apparent conflict of interest in placing a NATO commander in charge of the UN observer mission, given that the US and other western powers have so far refused to condemn or do anything to halt the Saudis/GCC support for the armed insurgents.