A year-long training mission to create a new Syrian rebel force, which the US promptly named the New Syrian Force (NSF), has accomplished very little except spending hundreds of millions of dollars. The Pentagon is still doubling down on the effort, pledging today to provide military support to the rebels “no matter whom they come up against.”
That’s not a minor point, as they envision the NSF fighting ISIS, but the group has also run afoul of al-Qaeda, and could also conceivably end up clashing with the Syrian military, since they are at least nominally a “rebel” force.
It’s not a lot of guys for the US military to protect, at least, as the Pentagon only managed to train 54 rebels in the first place, 18 of them were reported captured by al-Qaeda last week, and at least one has been reported to have been killed in fighting with al-Qaeda.
That’s roughly a third of the force gone already, so the suggestion that the NSF is somehow going to be a game-changer is just silly. That’s not stopping the Pentagon from making what could be a monumental military commitment in trying to keep what’s left of this faction from getting overrun in short order.
What’s left of the force has fled into Kurdish territory in the Aleppo Province for the time being. The plan beyond that is unclear, as wherever the group goes it will be dramatically outnumbered, and the heavy US commitment is likely to paint a major target on their backs.
Al-Qaeda has been relatively pragmatic in Syria for the most part, allying with most other rebel factions at one point or other. They’ve openly ruled out doing so with the US-backed NSF, however, specifically because they are US backed.
Another illegal political act which in reality saying: legally we can't invade Syria, but we can bomb those who are going to fight our beloved children's. This new policy is simply a legal game played by USG and NATO, Saudis and GCC to let the Syrian war continue, their intent is to destroy as much of Syria as they possibly can. Later when it's done, is time for these tiny or looney or toonies to fight each other, which by then and when nothing is left for Syrian people to live for, they have accomplished their notions in demecracy. They did it in Libya, so why not in Syria, Iraq or even Iran if they can.
What is your app for the iphone? I have used your website in the past, and have given it to my students also. I am so glad I found this website to use in my classrooom, we are now starting to code with ICD 10-CM.
the Pentagon only managed to train 54 rebels? I think it should state training 54 terrorists in their terrorist training camps. This is exactly what happens when quislings of Congress allow the executive branch to run rough shod on the Constitution.