generalspeaking

Which Islamist Terrorists?

France and Britain have decided to go it alone, in providing arms and advanced weaponry to the Syrian Free Army. General Salim Idris, head of the Supreme Military Council called on Syrian soldiers to withdraw their services from the regime, because the rebels are prepared to fight until the "criminal" regime is no more. This is a "fight for freedom and democracy" is the message he conveys. "Dear friends, the Free Syrian Army [fighters] will not give up", he pledged.

Of course there is the little matter of the 'dear friends' having been summarily dispatched without further thought when the Free Syrian Army [fighters] have captured them in various instances when they've been thrown together in skirmishes each to overcome the other. Not that the regime's military have treated those rebel fighters any more lightly when they've been their prisoners.

But it's possible that the defection several days back of Brig.Gen. Mohammed Khalouf and his son, Capt. Izza al-Din may yet inspire others to emulate them."Preparations for my defection from the Assad regime started with coordinated planning with different factors of the Syrian revolution until it succeeded", explained Brig.Gen. Khalouf in a broadcast from Jordan.

And then there is the issue of disagreements within the Syrian National Coalition. While those who are determined to bring down the regime have popular momentum, the 72-member leadership of the coalition is meeting to select a prime minister. From whom is anticipated a move to set up an interim government to administer the areas of Syria that are now held by the rebels, northern and eastern Syria in particular.

"Probably within the next six months, we will have the government in Damascus", boasts Khalid Saleh, spokesman for the main political opposition group in exile. On the other hand, there are those who feel an alternative government that reaches out to include some representatives of President Bashar al-Assad's regime might be feasible and preferable to avoid further unlimited bloodshed and upheaval.

Sheik Mouaz al-Khatib, coalition head, is accused by some members of the opposition of betrayal of the group's original mandate, claiming his decision to seek out potential liaisons within Assad's regime is a recommended conciliatory step to halting the bloodshed. "We are telling him to resign; if that happens, we finish off this illusion of dialogue", said coalition member Kamal Labwani.

"We want [a]Syria where every Syrian can live in peace and liberty. This is our dream. This is what we are fighting for", General Idris said in a video produced by the military council's media office. The coalition meeting scheduled for next week in Istanbul will choose a prime minister to set up an interim government. "I know our battle is not so easy. We have to fight against planes, tanks and huge missiles. But our will is still very strong. We will not stop until this criminal regime has gone" General Idris asserted.

The European Union has not been eager to endorse the French-British decision to supply arms to the rebels. "We have a number of reservations regarding arms exports even to the opposition because one has to ask oneself whether that won't just fan the flames of conflict", said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton echoed the thought, expressing doubt that the lifting of the arms embargo would represent a useful move. And the United States speaks of the arms falling into the hands of Islamists.

Syria's pro-government newspaper al-Watan reported hundreds of militants joining Syrian rebels, with up to 15,000 more taking training in Lebanon. This, of course, is where Hezbollah, one of Iran's proxy militias comes in. The incursions of Islamist militias is being blamed by Syria on Jordan and the United States, along with Persian Gulf nations. "Jordan has succumbed to the United States and Gulf States' pressure to become, like Lebanon, and Turkey, a passage to the jihadists into Syria", claimed al-Watan.

For its part, Lebanon strenuously denies any responsibility in the alleged infiltrations. The stability of the region depends on not permitting Islamist fighters to get a foothold in the region, claimed President Michel Suleiman. Which is pretty rich, given that Lebanon has effectively become a tool of Iran and Syria through the government infiltration by Hezbollah, a terrorist group of  'Islamist fighters'.

There is more than ample terror militias, and fanatical Islamists to go around on both sides. The difference being, of course, tribal and above all, sectarian in association.

Labels: Britain, Conflict, EU, France, Munitions, Revolution Atrocities, Syria

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, March 17, 2013