As Islamists increasingly fill the ranks of Syrian rebels, President Bashar al-Assad is waging an energized campaign to persuade the United States that it is on the wrong side of the war
“If the Syrian regime falls, al Qaeda wins.” That’s what Bashar al-Assad wants US officials to believe: By playing off US fears of Islamic terrorism, he’s hoping America will shift its support from the Syrian rebels to the incumbent regime, or at least withhold providing any more material support for the rebels. Because at least one rebel faction is allied with al Qaeda, it’s not an altogether crazy strategy. The regime is reportedly relying on Khaled Mahjoub, a Syrian-American businessman, to relay this message to US officials. “We are partners in fighting terrorism,” said Wael Nader al-Halqi, Syria’s prime minister.
U.S. intelligence agencies now believe that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons in its struggle to hold onto power, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday.
Hagel said that the White House sent a letter to members of Congress on Thursday morning disclosing that intelligence agencies had made that assessment, which followed a series of similar conclusions reached by Britain, France and most recently Israel.
It is believed that the White House plans to increase pressure on the U.N. to get more involved in Syria, rather than involve the U.S. military; however, as Politico notes, the use of chemical weapons doesn’t appear to be the “red line” that the Obama administration once claimed.
To the best of our professional understanding, the regime used lethal chemical weapons against gunmen in a series of incidents in recent months.Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, research division chief for Israeli army intelligence • Claiming that Syria’s Assad government has used chemical weapons against it’s people (though offering no corroborating evidence), in remarks at the Institute for National Security Studies. of Tel Aviv University. Secretary of State John Kerry says he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning, and that the leader “was not in a position to confirm” his military’s assessment. This isn’t a new concern for the United States, which has been under some international pressure to address claims to the UN by France and Britain, both allies, also suggesting that pro-Assad forces have used chemical weaponry. This has major political and diplomatic implications for America, as the administration has engaged in “red line” rhetoric on the matter of chemical weapons. source
Iraq’s al Qaeda wing has united with a kindred Syrian group in the frontline of a struggle to oust President Bashar al-Assad, sharpening a dilemma for nations that back the revolt, but fear rising Islamist militancy.
The leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, said his group had trained and funded fighters from Syria’s al-Nusra Front - which is blacklisted by the United States - since the early days of the two-year-old uprising.
He said in a statement posted on Islamist websites and seen by Reuters on Tuesday that the two groups would operate under the joint title of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
While the group’s work with other Syrian opposition forces is well-documented, the continued presence of al-Qaeda in Syria among rebel forces is unlikely to sway those debating whether or not to increase monetary/military support for those opposing the Assad regime.
Jordan closed its main border crossing with Syria on Monday after two days of fighting there between Syrian troops and rebel fighters, Jordan’s information minister said.
Border traders said passengers were turned back at the Jordanian border crossing of Jaber and prevented from entering in the first such closure of the crossing since the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad’s rule started two years ago.
“The border post is effectively closed because there have been clashes since yesterday and they are continuing,” minister Samih Maaytah told Reuters.
While some have assumed that the Syrian conflict was reaching an end, following massive land gains by the Syrian rebels in recent weeks, the events of the last 24 hours serve as a reminder that the battle between President Bashar al-Assad and his opposition is far from over.
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All that has happened to the Syrian people — from [the] destruction of infrastructure to the arrest of tens of thousands, to the displacement of hundreds of thousands to other tragedies — is not enough for an international decision to allow the Syrian people to defend themselves.Syrian National Coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib • Discussing his decision to resign from the post, feeling that international powers were not doing enough to help defeat Bashar al-Assad’s forces. “I am keeping my promise today and announcing my resignation from the National Coalition so that I can work with freedom that is not available inside the official institutions,” he explained in a Facebook post. He had led the SNC post since November, when the group formed amid international pressure.
The Syrian Electronic Army’s forecast for the @BBCweather Twitter account is a little, erm, political in nature.
We have been clear that the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people would be a serious and tragic mistake. The Assad regime must understand that they will be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons or their transfer to terrorists.President Barack Obama - Commenting on the alleged usage of chemical weapons in attacks which left 25 dead and dozens injured in the Syrian city of Aleppo yesterday. Both those loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian opposition forces have blamed their opponents for the attack; however, the perpetrators of Tuesday’s attack remain a mystery at this time. Many suspect the Assad regime, given previous reports about the Syrian government’s possession of such weapons, but calls for a formal investigation into the attack have gone unanswered thus far. source
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