Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), the regional faction of the terrorist organization, has claimed credit for last week’s ambush in Akashat, which killed 48 Syrian soldiers as well as nine Iraqi guards who were ferrying them back to Syria.
The troops had fled Syria into the Iraqi town of Rabia after rebels took the northern border crossing. After receiving medical treatment they were to be returned through a more southerly crossing still under government control.
AQI’s statement says that they “succeeding in annihilating an entire column of the Safavid Army.” The Safavids were a Persian dynasty that spread Shi’ism across modern day Iraq and parts of Syria.
AQI’s interest in the Syrian civil war cannot be understated, and US officials have said they believe the Jabrat al-Nusra, one of the most significant Syrian rebel factions, is essentially just a rebranded wing of AQI operating inside Syria.
While the US is normally reluctant to complain about attacks on Syrian government forces, the State Department did concede the AQI attack was an “act of terrorism” since the Syrian troops were unarmed non-combatants at the time.
They called terrorists.., today's terrorism is waht was created when USA asked the Saudis to help them in Afghanistan…, by Bush regime and is continuing to be a headache for those who created it and good for those who benefit from it.., like warmachiney and militarism regimes where Bush and Cheney are shareholders.
'Sticks and stones will break my bones…but….'….
Victoria Nuland's words mean/are nothing…nothing other than: even more evidence the US Government is providing logistical support to the mercenary terrorists operation in Syria…and simply confirmation/reinforcement the Obama Administration wants to 'rig the game' of perpetual death in the their favor…
Of course Ms. Nuland couldn't/wouldn't/didn't endorse or condone the ambush/attack described by the Iraqi Government… If she did, it could possibly lead to the so-called 'Assad Regime' following suit and doing the same on Turkish boarder…not only following suit, but doing so with impunity and moral Self-righteousness…which would just annoy people in the Obama Administration–'if' "people" could evaluate the 'situation' with logic and reason; rather than preconceptions and biases…which obviously isn't happening…
This is literally 2nd Grade politics at work–2nd Grade politics incorporated with death…
Public relations, more like it. What is at work is deliberately introducing "Al-Qaeda" angle, to innoculate public. Since the information on Syria now cannot be controled by "mainstream" corporate messangers, public is given a small doze of reality. BUT we still support the "good guys", that is the good "rebels". As if they are not made of the same cloth. By the very statement of the group it is CLEAR that these all are Saudi Wahhabi sponsored religious sects- mostly Salafis. ALL of them hate Shia religion, and want Mecca to be the center of power, US is supporting such strategy of creating Sunni Vatican in Saudi Arabia. In Iraq, General Petraeus helped found them through Awakening program. "Rebels" in Syria are the same sort. Salafism has spread in Egypt, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo — with Saudi money, missionaries, and our political and media cover. The "brilliant" idea to create armies against Iran will backfire — and badly. But no point explaining this to Washington. They are so much in love with themselves and their brilliance.