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Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS Jane'

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).
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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).

How does Obama big supporters and the anti Second Amendment libs and blistophobes really feel about Barack Obama's accomplishments as being a gun dealer ?

The gun dealers and sporting goods dealers in America have voted Obama the best gun salesman in America in 2008, 09, 10, 11, 12 and he's a shoe in for the 2013 best gun salesman in America again.

The Mexican drug cartels prefer buying their guns from the Obama administration.

The Muslim Brotherhood hasn't had it so good since Adolf Hitler during the 1930's and early 40's with Obama's support.

Al Qaeda has expanded it's base of operations all over the Middle East and North Africa under the Obama administration.

Islamist extremist can't get enough female western reporters to rape with Obama's support of the Arab Spring.

Now Obama is planning to go after the Best Gun Salesman in the Middle East Award.

I'm sure in 2017 Ruger, Colt, S&W, Remington, etc. will all be offering Obama a job in the private sector as head of the sales department.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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 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?

I'll answer for you: No you can't. Syria is a no-win situation for the entire world. No matter who eventually 'wins' it won't be a good thing.

I suggest that we give Allah credit for that.
 
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Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

Does anybody know where to find/have the study? ...I can't find it :(

Cheers,
Fallen.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J


no ,obama wasnt resident in whitehouse when el qeada militants were being trained ....
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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?
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

How the hell does the IHS know? Did they do a headcount? Did they ask the rebels to fill in some forms?

it's just guesswork. I can guess that 90% of the FSA are jihadists and it will be exactly as true as the article. And probably my guess his closer to home.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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?

I think we always need to do our due diligence with respect to arms sales. I think we are doing that. They aren't going to get it right 100% of the time (so no to your guarantee requirement). We have just started arming some rebel groups, and it's taken so long to do that precisely because we have been doing our due diligence in identifying which groups to arm and the consequences of arming them.

It's easy to chuck spears at an imperfect system, but I do believe they are doing the best they can. We're not Russia or China which flood war zones with their AK variants, single handedly responsible for destabilizing regions for decades. There should be more outrage at that, than focusing on our relatively cautious arms programs.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

It's a private data handling company (perhaps seeking PR). Where did the data come from?
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

I think we always need to do our due diligence with respect to arms sales.
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
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

Can 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?
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 thing
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

Obama waives ban on arming terrorists to allow aid to Syrian opposition

By JOEL GEHRKE
September 16, 2013

President Obama waived a provision of federal law designed to prevent the supply of arms to terrorist groups to clear the way for the U.S. to provide military assistance to "vetted" opposition groups fighting Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.

Some elements of the Syrian opposition are associated with radical Islamic terrorist groups, including al Qaeda, which was responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., in 2001. Assad's regime is backed by Iran and Hezbollah.

The president, citing his authority under the Arms Export Control Act, announced today that he would "waive the prohibitions in sections 40 and 40A of the AECA related to such a transaction."

Those two sections prohibit sending weaponry to countries described in section 40(d): "The prohibitions contained in this section apply with respect to a country if the Secretary of State determines that the government of that country has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism," Congress stated in the Arms Control Export Act.


(Excerpt)

Read more:
Obama waives ban on arming terrorists to allow aid to Syrian opposition | WashingtonExaminer.com

Of course this revelation only bolsters the original posting. However, the ever faithful Obama lemming will parse and attempt to obfuscate the issue.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

three more years of this sheet, maybe it is the new normal ?
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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

You'd think this administration would have learned through their mistakes and screw up with Fast & Furious. Now they're raising the ante to country level by arming the terrorist groups.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

and the best part is you ain't seen nuthin' yet
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

It appears he removed a ban regarding arming people in certain countries, not a ban on arming terrorists.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

While I don't think we should be supporting any side in Syria, I am wondering why people are taking this information as "gospel" and not questioning the methods, source or conclusion and just taking their word on it.
 
Re: Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS J

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.

IMO, the U.S. is doing its best to target its arms deliveries to less extreme elements. This is a challenging task, but one that likely entails more potential risks than benefits. First, extreme elements are making up a growing share of the anti-Assad movement according to UN reports. Once the weapons are transferred, there are no real safeguards to prevent additional transfers. I can't comment on the findings of the report cited at the beginning of this thread, as it hasn't come out yet. Second, no matter who wins Syria's civil war, one likely won't see a policy orientation that is materially better with respect to U.S. interests and allies. Third, both parties to the conflict have been engaging in "widespread" acts against civilians according to the most recent UN report. Fourth, the flow of arms from external parties has magnified the intensity of the conflict. Greater conflict intensity among parties that have shown little regard for civilian protections translates into more civilian casualties than would otherwise be the case.

I give credit to the Obama Administration for seizing a diplomatic opportunity that emerged related to Syria's chemical weapons. I hope that the Administration will work in concert with Russia and others to try to push for a ceasefire.
 
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