The Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the Western-backed “leadership” of the rebellion, has faced an ever growing crisis of confidence, with its own membership mostly fighting over who gets to be “prime minister in exile” at any given time, and unable to organize much of anything.
But their claims of leadership over the rebellion are also being outright rejected by many of the fighting forces on the ground, with 13 powerful factions issuing a joint statement today saying the SNC doesn’t represent them in any way.
The SNC commands at least a little support from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), though at times it is unclear which organization is running which. There’s no pretense that the SNC can command much of anyone else, however, and that means the overwhelming majority of rebels remain outside their control.
Today’s statement included a number of al-Qaeda dominated factions and other major players in the civil war, and called for a new leadership, with the rebellion reorganized under an Islamic framework, and run according to al-Qaeda’s particularly harsh interpretation of Sharia Law.
The SNC had tried to court Islamists repeatedly by stocking its leadership council with moderate Islamist factions like the Muslim Brotherhood, but it’s more apparent than ever that this tactic has failed, and that the rebellion is flying apart at the seams.
This is a problem not just for coordinating attacks or keeping the rebels from fighting one another, but also for the Geneva 2 conference, which after months of delay is still waiting on the rebels to come to the table. The SNC gave some lip-service to participating, but only if the Syrian government capitulated to all of their demands before the conference began. Since the SNC can’t credibly claim to speak for most of the rebel fighters, however, even getting them to the table doesn’t mean they can hammer out a deal to really end the war.
The idea in Islamization of entire region by Hillary Clinton, Obama, the Saudis and UAE is still alive and for Islamic regimes using the Shriah law is the last thing in stoping the growth of democracy. There are elements which either one can and will stop democracy to function totally, one is fascism two is religious and both ideas are used in middle east and elsewhere for that reason.
Al-Qaeda at the Geneva conference?
Why not? We are supporting them by recruiting drive in all the places where the Salafi (Al-Qaeda) can be found. Arming, training, paying salary. And they are found in all our "successfull" interventions, like Bosnia, Kosovo, Libya, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan. And they are coming from other our splendid little adventures, like Russian Caucases, and Central Asia. Soon, contingents will be coming from Egypt where Salafi general has taken over with our and Saudi help. Now, he is showing his typical Salafi respect for democracy. The elected president, parliament in jail or disappered. Their property, as well as the charities of their political opponents — all confiscated. Salafis — with our quiet approval, have settled in, nominated themselves as presidents, ministers, and governors. Consititution? The one passed in referendum? Who cares, they have Sharia. IF ever a phrase meant a lot for us is — QUO VADIS, AMERICA.
Egyptian generals are not Salafi. Their major supporters are the liberal Egyptians.
As if there were any doubt to what they always wanted. And these lunatics are the ones the US fedgov bastards want to work with? That's simply insane.
Sure these America-backed Islamic Jihadis may want Sharia Law, but it will be a MODERATE Sharia Law!
America's Al-Queda allies, coming soon to a neighborhood near you!
There is no mention of any 'particularly harsh implementation of Sharia Law'. Since people have suffered a lot under the 'secular laws' of the current regime, to them the Sharia Law seems like a good alternative. This is not different from when Europeans suffered under Christian Sharia law they all struggled for establishing Secular laws.
And if the real armed opposition groups do arrive at a bargaining table, won't it be interesting to find that at least two of those groups are self-proclaimed Al Qaeda affiliates who — by US Government definition — are not only "terrorists" as Assad has labeled the armed opposition groups, but also the vary same "terrorists" with whom our US Government has been at war since 9/11/01 (and in fact years before that). Wonder how White House spin meisters will handle that little matter.