“SFR leader Jamal Maarouf accused al-Nusra of treachery in a video released online, as the two rebel groups had shared cordial relations before the latter suddenly launched a surprise offensive last week.” What? “The two rebel groups had shared cordial relations” until last week, and yet one of them is receiving American weaponry that is supposed to be going to “moderates” who are fighting the “extremists”? That means that unless the Syrian Revolutionaries Front received these anti-tank missiles almost immediately before the al-Nusra jihadists captured them, the U.S. supplied them to a group that had “cordial relations” with one of the “extremist” groups it was supposed to be fighting. “Vetted moderates” indeed — the entire Obama foreign policy is based on fantasy and wishful thinking.
“Syria: Al-Nusra Jihadists ‘Capture US TOW Anti-Tank Missiles’ from Moderate Rebels,” by Umberto Bacchi, International Business Times, November 3, 2014 (thanks to Twostellas):
Weaponry supplied by the US to moderate Syrian rebels was feared to have fallen into the hands of jihadist militants affiliated to al-Qaida after clashes between rival groups.
Islamist fighters with Jabhat al-Nusra seized control of large swathes of land in Jabal al-Zawiya, Idlib province, at the weekend, routing the US-backed groups the Syrian Revolutionaries Front (SFR) and Harakat Hazm, activists said.
Washington relied on SFR and Harakat Hazm to counter Isis (Islamic State) militants on the ground in Syria, complementing its air strikes.
It has thus been supplying them with heavy weapons, including TOW anti-tank missiles in recent months.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that, after five days of fighting, the moderate rebels have now surrendered to al-Nusra, which is listed by the US as a terrorist organisation.
“Some of the rebels swore allegiance to al-Nusra, others fled,” SOHR said.
After the takeover, Twitter accounts liked to the Islamist group claimed that US weapons were among the stockpiles confiscated by the group.
Ar Raqqah Media, an account that regularly posts updates on IS, al-Nusra and other jihadi movements tweeted:
the spoils captured from #SRF: 10Tanks 4BMP’s 130Cannons 80+ TOW missiles Dozens of trucks/cars Lots of ammo
— Ar Raqqah Media (@arraqqahnews) November 3, 2014The claim could not be immediately independently verified.
Photos circulated online by the jihadists purportedly showed stockpiles of food and other aid they said were seized from SFR’s headquarters in the village of Deir Sinbul.
SFR leader Jamal Maarouf accused al-Nusra of treachery in a video released online, as the two rebel groups had shared cordial relations before the latter suddenly launched a surprise offensive last week.
“You have tarnished the name of Islam, and you have tarnished religion,” Maarouf said, The Times reported. “Why do you fight us? Go away, fight the regime!”…
US weaponry has fallen into the hands of a jihadist group before. IS stole Humvees and other military equipment provided by Washington to the Iraqi army, as it conquered large parts of the country earlier this year….
Stan says
Every American admin. has been backing these radicals for their own agenda for the last 30 years.
From Reagan, to the Bushes, Clinton, Oabama etc
That will not change.
terry says
They cannot change. Washington D.C. is the master bedroom of the world, one party gets out of the bed on the left, the other party gets out of the bed on the right: they are screwing us all the world over in the same bed.
mortimer says
Delusional stupidity, naivety and criminal negligence of Obummer and his merry band of Jihad Enablers.
Democrats have a large share of responsibility for the suffering caused by ISIS.
Maybe Assad was a bastard, but he was a pro-Western bastard and made no trouble for his neighbors, including Israel.
Obummer was a Muslim Brotherhood patsy.
Charli Main says
To the best of my knowledge, minorities in Assard’s Syria were not being raped, burned, buried alive, beheaded, or crucified and children were not being sold off as sex slaves.
Well done Obama, Cameron and the rest of the political vermin running the European Union. You scum are drenched in the blood of innocents.
Anonymous says
And yet it is Assad that all western countries railed against. The US and British governments and the press were foaming at the mouth to attack Syria and would have, but for Russia’s intervention.
I find it hard to believe that this latest incident is because of stupidity, naivete or negligence, it is probably a well-calculated move.
Towards what endgame… your guess is as good as mine.
rage against injustice says
A “bosnian war” is coming to western europe.
beep-boom says
Aaad’s father fought 2 wars with Israel , Assad supports ISrael arch enemy , HEzbollah . Hezbollah kicked israel in the teeth in a war in 2006. Israel did not win one battle .
MAny republicans advise we bomb Assad , so i dunno what you are talking about . Mccain the bigges republicant of them all met moderate rebels in Syria
John Stefan Obeda says
Mortimer, I’m a U.S. citizen living here in Canada and I still vote and I agree with what you have well outlined here. It makes me so very sad to see what is happening to the U.S. my first home. And, since so many in high places also in Canada do not know Islam and people refuse to believe what they stand for when you try to tell them, I guess Canada is no better off. We have to pray for our countries and do what we can to get the word out. But we must fight Islam. Islam has started the war and God the Holy Trinity help us to finish it.
Beagle says
“…the spoils captured from #SRF: 10Tanks 4BMP’s 130Cannons 80+ TOW missiles Dozens of trucks/cars Lots of ammo
— Ar Raqqah Media (@arraqqahnews) November 3, 2014…”
So I am to believe a group fought another but failed to employ its ten tanks, four APCs, 130 cannons, and 80+ TOW missiles? I suspect skulduggery.
Ronald Fox says
If the Syrian government falls, there will be absolutely no organized resistance to the ISIS, other than the Kurds. ISIS will have free reign across Syria and Iraq. And yet, the US gives weapons to the FSA, which is trying to topple the Syrian government. It’s a crazy policy.
John C. Barile says
Arm the Kurds and let them govern themselves. They treat Christians, Yazidis, Druse, and Shi’a well. To hell with Ankara and Tehran.
KiwiKaffir says
Yep, gotta agree there. Give the Kurds their homeland and let ISIS battle it out with the rest of the Middle Eastern Nations
pumbar says
Like the Turks would let you do that…
Mirren10 says
”Arm the Kurds and let them govern themselves.’
I really don’t understand your Kurdophilia.
The Kurds are majority sunni mohammedans, are they not ? If we armed them, as you suggest, what makes you think they wouldn’t behave as all mohammedans do, eventually ? Didn’t the US arm Afghans, in the belief they would be allies of the US ? Yes, that turned out really well …
”They treat Christians, Yazidis, Druse, and Shi’a well. ”
Really ? Do you have any evidence for this ? If so, a link would be useful.
Myxlplik says
How do we know it was treachery?
Faith in the words of Muslims?
This was probably a set up, a quid pro quo, like give us 500 green eyed Yazidi girls and we’ll give you some American weapons.
Jay Boo says
Did Pres. Obama at least receive a signed promissory note declaring “Peace in our time” from his good ‘friend’ in Ankara?
That would be more than enough for the liberal press to gush over Obama’s ‘leadership’.
Salah says
Obama is actually arming ISIS. His Muslim Brotherhood masters ordered him to do so.
He’s done no wrong, he’s simply following the orders.
Are we going to sit back and watch these vermins destroying our once great civilization?
gp says
Damn moderates! Are those the ones that smile and nod?
Concerned European says
Remember when NATO launched the big feelgood operation in support of the rebels in Libya? Remember all the morons in charge trying to convince themselves and the voters that Libya would somehow be transformed into Switzerland as soon as we got rid of Gaddafi? This is the same thing all over again. Assad is the lesser of two evils if one is forced to choose between him and ISIL. FSA has just about as much appeal to the Sunnis as Mohamed El-Baradei had to the Egyptians when he ran for president. They preferred Morsi the Islamist.
Erdogan and the Gulf states are in bed with ISIL. The Kurds seem to be the only ones willing to put up a fight. I say arm them. Better than NATO boots on the ground.
pongidae rex says
Worms and insects have a greater capacity to learn from experience than the US government.
profitsbeard says
One hopes GPS tracking chips are embedded in every bit of equipment we send into this chaos.
Then, when ISIS jihadis DO loot the depot, we can trace their movements back to their camp and send drones or bombers or cruise missiles to blow them to shreds in their down-armored pickup trucks and on to Hell.
gp says
That would make sense, therefore it is probably wishful thinking considering our current administration. They did not even learn from Fast and Furious.
an0bamAnation says
Lets look at facts, Putin keeps his mouth shut and makes good profit for his people selling weapons to Assad who in turn keeps the savages further from Russia’s borders.
Obama gives weapons give the savages with the American tax payer paying the cost.
Russia steadily builds up it’s military and makes sound business deals with the other superpowers China and India all while making money out of Iran ect without firing a shot.
Obama and the brotherhood give Americans money away to Rogue states like Pakistan ect.
Russia and China appear to be a lot more informed on who is good and who is bad in the world compared to the hillbillies in the white house.
Do you not get the feeling you are being taken for a ride by your so called leaders ?.
Islam trains even forces from childbirth till death that all Muslim’s must be slaves to religion and that will not change.
With Obama bowing down and bending over to the saudi king of terrorists and swallowing everything future master of jihad Erdogan ejaculates while at the same time trying to make Israel look like the guilty party the US reputation has hit rock bottom.
A world wide war is shaping in many countries as we speak and many groups are just waiting to join in given the resources.
The US government and it’s so called secret services along with their middle east partners have financed most of the threats we see coming in the near future.
Leave it to Obama and the brotherhood and soon your military will consist of a few military bands and a handful of museums.
beep-boom says
Mitt ROmney would have been ten times worse . Not only would he have armed the rebels but he would have bombed Assad like a good republicant
Carlos Danger says
“Tell Vladimir that I’ll have more flexibility after this election….”
Whisky, Tango Foxtrot