Syrian Rebels Also Fear US Attack

Will US Attack Rebels Too?

The imminent US attack on Syria was initially being presented as a major win for the rebel factions that have long sought outside military intervention on their behalf. As the attack looms, however, many fear it will do more harm than good even for them.

President Obama has desperately sought to avoid charges that the strikes would aid the al-Qaeda-dominated rebels, and the jihadist factions are scrambling, fearing the US will attack them too just to argue that they’re not supporting them.

Indeed, with the administration insisting that they don’t want the strike to change the situation on the ground in Syria, they might decide to try to damage the rebels as much as the Assad government in hopes of leaving the situation stalemated.

And while they wouldn’t be hit by the US, secular rebels aren’t on the bandwagon either, even though the Obama Administration has endorsed and subsidized them. With the White House promising to keep the strikes “limited,” those factions worry they’ll be the first target of any retaliation, and that having the US attack will give Assad considerable international sympathy.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.