Aya Burweila(RIEAS Senior Analyst)
Copyright: Research Institute for European and American Studies (www.rieas.gr) Publication Date: 1 October 2014
On September 12, ISIS established an agreement with moderate-in-comparison Syrian rebels to not fight each other so that they can focus on destroying the Syrian government. As early as 2013, Jane's Intelligence had already established that nearly half of the Syrian rebels were jihadis affiliated with al-Qaeda, Jabhat al Nursra and ISIS. As Charles Lister observed, "The insurgency is now dominated by groups which have at least an Islamist viewpoint on the conflict. The idea that it is mostly secular groups leading the opposition is just not borne out." In retrospect, the "Free Syrian Army" was nothing more than "a Qatari myth." Regardless, on September 18, the Senate passed a redundant bill supporting Obama's plan to fund, train and arm the mysterious 'moderate' Syrian rebels –ostensibly to battle the Islamic State and the Syrian government. Displaying his characteristic indifference to reality, upon the bill's passing, Obama declared, "When you harm our citizens, when you threaten the United States, when you threaten our allies, it doesn't divide us, it unites us."...Read more
Note: Copyright of the photo: "The Coalition" by Khalid Albaih - Read more about him in his interview here http://m.aljazeera.com/story/2014329121856777563 & follow him here about.me/khalidalbaih