Wehrwolfen
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By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent, and Ruth Sherlock in Beirut
15 Sep 2013
Nearly half the rebel fighters in Syria are now aligned to jihadist or hardline Islamist groups according to a new analysis of factions in the country's civil war.
Opposition forces battling Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria now number around 100,000 fighters, but after more than two years of fighting they are fragmented into as many as 1,000 bands.
The new study by IHS Jane's, a defence consultancy, estimates there are around 10,000 jihadists - who would include foreign fighters - fighting for powerful factions linked to al-Qaeda..
Another 30,000 to 35,000 are hardline Islamists who share much of the outlook of the jihadists, but are focused purely on the Syrian war rather than a wider international struggle.
There are also at least a further 30,000 moderates belonging to groups that have an Islamic character, meaning only a small minority of the rebels are linked to secular or purely nationalist groups.
The stark assessment, to be published later this week, accords with the view of Western diplomats estimate that less than one third of the opposition forces are "palatable" to Britain, while American envoys put the figure even lower.
[Excerpt]
Read more:
Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS Jane's report - Telegraph
Can Obama guarantee that the arms shipments are just going to the of rebels and not the other 60% of Two factions linked to al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - also know as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS).
Can Obama guarantee that the arms shipments are just going to the of rebels and not the other 60% of Two factions linked to al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - also know as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS).
By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent, and Ruth Sherlock in Beirut
15 Sep 2013
Nearly half the rebel fighters in Syria are now aligned to jihadist or hardline Islamist groups according to a new analysis of factions in the country's civil war.
Opposition forces battling Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria now number around 100,000 fighters, but after more than two years of fighting they are fragmented into as many as 1,000 bands.
The new study by IHS Jane's, a defence consultancy, estimates there are around 10,000 jihadists - who would include foreign fighters - fighting for powerful factions linked to al-Qaeda..
Another 30,000 to 35,000 are hardline Islamists who share much of the outlook of the jihadists, but are focused purely on the Syrian war rather than a wider international struggle.
There are also at least a further 30,000 moderates belonging to groups that have an Islamic character, meaning only a small minority of the rebels are linked to secular or purely nationalist groups.
The stark assessment, to be published later this week, accords with the view of Western diplomats estimate that less than one third of the opposition forces are "palatable" to Britain, while American envoys put the figure even lower.
[Excerpt]
Read more:
Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS Jane's report - Telegraph
Can Obama guarantee that the arms shipments are just going to the of rebels and not the other 60% of Two factions linked to al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) - also know as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (ISIS).
Short answer: No.
Slightly longer answer: No, and we can't keep account on any weapons that leave our country whether sold to "friendly" governments or given away by CIA. I bet that a percentage of the weapons we give to Afghan or Iraqi police/military in some way find their way to terrorists. Does that mean we shouldn't arm them?
I see your point, but it's a little more complicated than what you suggest. Happen to agree with you, by the way, with respect to Syria. We never broke it, so we didn't buy it...and we have no responsibility to arm anyone there especially when the possible good to get out of it is so uncertain.
I thought that was already proven by Fast and Furious. As previously questioned shouldn't we be a little more cautious when we distribute weapons to foreign entities?
Dude who cares when you sell arms they are out of your control who the hell cares as long as you get paid for them? But we've actually been financing the jihad jonnies to the tune of 800 million.I think we always need to do our due diligence with respect to arms sales.
yes of course because he would have sense enough to know that the best play for the west would be to support Assad but since that would make for 'bad optics' he'd just have to make speeches about how it's a terrible thing and move on. Backing jihad is a Demonrat kinda thingCan you guarantee that if Mitt Romney was in the White House he would have done any better than what Obama has done with the Syrian kerfuffle?
Dude who cares when you sell arms they are out of your control who the hell cares as long as you get paid for them? But we've actually been financing the jihad jonnies to the tune of 800 million.
Please this administration could mess up a wet dream
Dude who cares when you sell arms they are out of your control who the hell cares as long as you get paid for them? But we've actually been financing the jihad jonnies to the tune of 800 million.
Please this administration could mess up a wet dream
I know it's unpopular on this thread to give this administration the slightest benefit of the doubt, and I even agree with you to a certain extent...but I don't think we are handing guns to terrorists. Maybe semantics...I'll give you that. My only point is that it's more complicated that the picture being drawn.
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