| Tango01 | 11 Sep 2014 10:24 p.m. PST |
"Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who four months ago seemed on the verge of defeating rebel forces, is now mired in defensive battles on several fronts, complicating efforts to fight the Islamic State militant group. In a span of weeks, the Islamic State has overrun military bases in Syria's east. In the west, the regime faces a coalition of rebels that threatens the heartland of Mr. Assad's Alawite minority and could alter the course of Syria's multi-sided civil war. Alawites, a Shiite-linked group that forms the backbone of the regime and pro-government militias, are angry over the loss of hundreds of troops last month after the Islamic State captured an air base in the northeastern province of Raqqa. These developments come as President Barack Obama prepares to describe on Wednesday his own plan to defeat the Islamic State, a Sunni-extremist group also known as ISIS or ISIL. Mr. Assad's troubles could complicate the fight against ISIS by worsening a power vacuum that has allowed the Islamist group to thrive in Syria and neighboring Iraq…"
Full article here
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Armand |
| FoxtrotPapaRomeo | 12 Sep 2014 2:11 a.m. PST |
Probably not. IS has the desert. The main population centres are with the sectarian Government. Once IS is taken down. I suspect they will take over (with Russian and Iranian help). I don't think any Islamist group will have much appeal to the bulk of the population. |
| Rabelais | 12 Sep 2014 3:32 a.m. PST |
The complication will be that if the US wants the Free Syrian Army and Islamic Front to fight IS, they may not have the freedom to do so because they're under attack from the regime. Assad has never attacked IS except by air, and his army has consistently failed to defend against them, getting overrun in their bases. Based on its record so far, the Syrian army would be a very poor partner for fighting IS. Assad's strategy from the beginning was to focus attacks on the moderate rebels and leave the Jihadists alone so that he can portray the struggle as one of secularists against extremists. It's sad to see some politicians in the West have fallen for it. |
 Legion 4   | 12 Sep 2014 8:48 a.m. PST |
Well … they are a long way from calling it winning … at this time … Maybe once the US CAS comes in that may change … even if the US does not like Assad … he's the lesser of two evils … Assad vs. ISIS … dare, I say Saddam is the better choice vs. ISIS … as well … Hindsight is always 20/20 … Of course will US CAS have to deal with AAA/ADA from both sides of the Syrian conflict ? |
| Rabelais | 12 Sep 2014 9:50 a.m. PST |
It's not a 2-sided conflict. ISIS is not part of the opposition, far from it. The FSA (I know it's not strictly accurate, but it's better than writing 'the various moderate opposition groups') have spent a helluva lot more time fighting IS than the Syrian army has, and with more success. The Kurdish YPG has been fighting IS and holding its ground for over a year without any support. It's not about either Assad or ISIS, there are better options. |
| Great War Ace | 12 Sep 2014 10:09 a.m. PST |
With that 20/20 hindsight, it should be obvious to everyone NOW that any resurgent, fundamentalist Islam is the worse evil. Causing a power vacuum by removing Saddam Hussein brought in the insurgents, who were, are and will always be fundamentalists. When you take down the dictator, who was a secularist if not an outright godless atheist, you encourage religious extremists to take his place. And here we are…. |
| Legion 4 | 13 Sep 2014 1:07 p.m. PST |
It's not a 2-sided conflict. It is if it comes down to who is shooting at you and who ain't. Don't think the FSA or Kurds will be shooting at US CAS … ISIS is not part of the opposition, Ask Assad and his Army that … Again on the battlefield it comes down to who is shooting at you and who ain't … Pretty sure at this time, both ISIS and Assad and a few other jihastis would shoot at US assets … |
| jeffbird | 13 Sep 2014 1:46 p.m. PST |
Great War Ace, i toatally agree with you. Somalia has and will never recover after Siad Barre, Libya will never recover. |
| Cacique Caribe | 13 Sep 2014 2:07 p.m. PST |
The way I see it, the ground in that country come in 4 different and clearly defined colors:
So, if everyone simply stays on the proper soil, problem solved. Dan |
| Mako11 | 13 Sep 2014 3:33 p.m. PST |
I'm very impressed with how organized all the factions are in the south, to be able to keep within those nice, neat, straight diagonal lines. GPS is a great aid! |
| Cacique Caribe | 14 Sep 2014 6:36 a.m. PST |
Indeed. And the lines alternate too!!! Dan |
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