NOVANEWS
The Free Syrian Army is breaking up militarily and politically and US Support may increasingly be channeled to Al Qaeda via Jordan.
nsnbc , – After having suffered a decisive military defeat and after effectively having been thrown out of Syria by al-Qaeda brigades and by the Islamic Alliance which left the FSA, commander Salim Idris fled to Qatar.
After FSA spokesman al-Masri publicly called the FSA commander unsuccessful and wretched, the FSA is showing signs of breaking up politically too. A reorientation of US aid, to be channeled via Jordan, suggests that the apparent row between Saudi Arabia and the USA may cover over increased US support for Al Qaeda.
During the first week of December, the Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), Brigadier General Salam Idris, announced that the FSA is ready to participate in the long overdue Geneva II conference without the precondition that Syria’s President, Bashar al-Assad must step down first. Idris added, that the FSA considers the possibility of cooperating with the Syrian Arab Army in the fight against Al-Qaeda brigades.
The change of heart of the FSA top-commander came, as the primarily Qatar and Turkey funded and armed FSA virtually had been minimized to insignificance by Saudi Arabia backed Al-Qaeda brigades and the Syrian Arab Army. The announcement also came shortly after Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani, initiated reconciliatory talks with Iran and Hezbollah, and declared that he wants to normalize relations with Damascus.
CREDIT: REUTERS/LOUBNA MRIE
Shortly after Salim Idris made the announcement, the Islamic Alliance, which constituted the FSA’s main remaining fighting force and which is made up of the Liwa al-Tahwid, the Ahrar al-Sham, the Idlib based Soqour al- Sham, the Homs based, al-Haq Brigades, Ansal al-Sham as well as the Kurdish Islamic Front, announced that they were no longer a part of the FSA, seized several key Free Syrian Army bases and drove the FSA out of itsheadquaters.
The move rendered the FSA and the FSA Supreme Commander General Salim Idris not only virtually, but effectively militarily insignificant.
The Wall Street Journal reported on 12 December, that Salim Idris had fled to Qatar’s capital Doha, where he is still meant to be.
Following the decisive defeat and the de facto end to the Free Syrian Army as a military entity, FSA spokesman Fahad al–Masri appeared on the TV channel Alhurra, accusing Brig. General Salim Idris of being “unsuccessful and wretched” and blasting Idris for incompetence. The Turkish Aydinlik Daily newspaper translated part of al-Masri’s statements on Alhurra TV.
Al-Masri blamed Idris for not having made the best use of sufficient opportunities and weapons which were given to the FSA. Al-Masri stressed, that Idris must explain to the FSA what he did over the course of the last year, adding that since this general staff is not even able to protect its own headquarter, how will it protect the Syrian people ?
Small pockets of the FSA remain, fighting a three front war against the Syrian Arab Army, Al-Qaeda brigades and the Islamic Alliance which left the FSA earlier this month.
With the Free Syrian Army rendered both militarily and politically defunct and defeated, and none of the other militants, including the Islamic Alliance, Jabhat al-Nusrah, Liwa-al-Islam, ISIL, ISIS or other of the Al-Qaeda tied groups being willing to attend the Geneva II conference, it is uncertain whether the Geneva II conference will be held any time soon, and if so, with whom and for what purpose.
The recent decision made by the Obama administration, to halt or limit US support via Turkey and to redirect the delivery of support, that is among other weapons, through Jordan however, raises serious questions about the apparent discord between the USA and Saudi Arabia.
Both Saudi Arabia and the USA have been supplying Al-Qaeda linked militants, including Jabhat al-Nusrah and Liwa-al-Islam via the Jordanian border town Al-Mafraq and Ramtha Air Base since early 2012. The USA maintains a strong presence in Al-Mafraq and Ramtha Airbase, including Special Forces, CIA, the State Department, USAID and other known CIA front organizations.
