"... the American-aligned unit, known as Division 30, in fighting off the assault, according to an American military spokesman and combatants on both sides. The strikes were the first known use of coalition air power in direct battlefield support of fighters in Syria who were trained by the Pentagon.
The attack on Friday was mounted by the Nusra Front, which is affiliated with Al Qaeda. It came a day after the Nusra Front captured two leaders and at least six fighters of Division 30, which supplied the first trainees to graduate from the Pentagon’s anti-Islamic State training program.
In Washington, several current and former senior administration officials acknowledged that the attack and the abductions by the Nusra Front took American officials by surprise and amounted to a significant intelligence failure." NY Times
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"a significant intelligence failure?" No! No! Based on my 34 years experience in government in the war-fighting, policy and intelligence fields I would bet you a month's pay that the intelligence community told the policy people (elected and appointed) that the Nusra Front are inherently and permanently enemies of the United States and the west in general.
What has happened in this is that the policy people, unable to find tools with which to bring down the Syrian government, (at Israel's behest) have been working for the last several months at the considerable task of convincing themselves that not all Nusra jihadis are "bad people." Some are now said to be "misguided" by policy people in the hope that the Nusra Front can be made into useful idiots willing to serve the interests of what they would call the Crusader and Zionist foe.
Well, pilgrims, if someone or some group of someones in the IC contradicted that idea I am quite sure that the response from the policy side would be to tell them to go play amongst themselves quietly whilst the grown-ups talk.
Contributing to this catastrophe visited upon the hapless 60 members of Division 30 (the Unicorn Army) is the willingness of Israel to support the rebels fighting the Syrian Government south of Damascus. Guess what! These rebels include Nusra Front elements. Israel is treating their wounded in Israeli hospitals and providing them close air support.
Well, pilgrims, if Israel thinks they are all right...
pl
Sir
It seems to me considering our continuous blunders that US political elites and policy makers are clueless about the ME and its people. Wouldn't the best situation be in these circumstances for the US to stop meddling in the ME and let them sort out their affairs on their own?
I recognize the hubris of our political elites will not allow them to understand their own limitations. I recently saw an interview of Harald Malmgren who served 4 presidents. In his opinion we are where we are due to the changing character of the American people who now prefer a Nanny State. Consequently we are getting a state run by moneyed interests that use state power to reinforce their interests. He says that only groupthinkers are allowed in policy making circles and their faith-based beliefs trump any rational thinking. I suppose when the American people have been sufficiently screwed by their own "give me cheese" attitudes then there is an opportunity to get better political leaders.
Posted by: Jack | 01 August 2015 at 11:21 AM