"US-Backed ‘Moderates’ Reject Nationwide Ceasefire, Officially" South Front

 

"Ahrar Al-Sham has officially rejected a nationalwide ceasefire proposal pushed by the United States and Russia.

Ahrar Al-Sham is one of the largest Syrian militant groups. Despite the radical views, the group is often called the “moderate opposition” by the Western Media and is supported by the United States.

On September 12, Deputy Leader of Ahrar al-Sham ‘Abo Ammar al-Omar’ publicly rejected the ceasefire proposal in Eid msge. According to al-Omar, the problem is that the ceasefire will exclude from the agrreemennt some Syrian “opposition” groups… for example the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat Al Nusra) terrorist group and other Al Qaeda affilates in Syria."  South Front 

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Well pilgrims, it just does not get much "better" than this from the point of view of satirists.  Evelyn Waugh, the author of "Black Mischief," "Scoop,"  and the more awful parts of "Sword of Honour" could not have written "better" material.

Poor Kerry (irony alert) he has labored in the vineyards of diplomacy for lo these many months (years?) in the effort to produce a ceasefire that would result in the fulfillment of the Borgist dream of an Assad Free Syria or whatever they would call the present Syria afterward. 

And now - wait for it! - drum roll! - Ahrar al Sham, the unicorns upon whom the loving (maybe) attention and largess of the US/CIA have been showered has rejected the ceasefire upon which Obama/Kerry had pinned all their hopes for victory snatched from the jaws of military travail. 

Why would they do that?  It is because they are allies and comrades of Fath al Sham (formerly the AQ branch in Syria).  Fath al Sham changed their name from the Nusra Front a few weeks back in the hope of BSing the peacemakers into making them bombing immune under a cease fire.  Well, that did not work.  The crafty Rooshians instead succeeded in having the US agree that Fath al Sham/al Nusra/AQ is still a jihadi group which will be legitimately targeted under a cease fire.  Damn these Russians!  They keep trying to win or at least not lose.

So, when our "moderates" side with the jihadis against us you can see how "moderate" they really are.

Today, CNN, MSNBC et al continue to pound Assad.  pl         

https://southfront.org/us-backed-moderates-reject-nationwide-ceasefire-officially/

Comments

[Barish]

In the context of the agreement as written vs. its implementation? Seems that Russia has a far better grip on/mutual understanding with its allies as regards implementing it than US does on its unicorns. The aforementioned unicorn rejection of it and siding with Nusra/AQ done by the unicorns around the 15th anniversary of 9/11 speaks volumes as to how little leverage the US has here, and it rightly should be scandalized far and wide - of course, the MSM prefers somehow not doing so.

It's interesting to note that, belatedly, KSA officially endorsed the ceasefire, worded as follows:

http://www.mofa.gov.sa/sites/mofaen/ServicesAndInformation/news/MinistryNews/Pages/ArticleID2016913222956932.aspx

"Official Source: Saudi Arabia Is Following with Interest the Implementation of Temporary Cease-Fire in Syria
Last updated: 9/13/2016 10:31 PM

An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with interest the implementation of the temporary cease-fire in Syria.

The official source expressed the Kingdom's welcoming of this truce, which will contribute to relieving the humanitarian suffering of brethren Syrian people.

The official source added that the Kingdom stresses the importance of abiding by this truce by Bashar Al-Asad's regime and his allies, and that this truce would as well lead to the resumption of the political process in Syria on the basis of Geneva I declaration and Security Council resolution 2254, which would lead to the peaceful transition of power."

Whether this agreement was just a play-act by Kerry to win time and fill headlines with US-goodwill whose failure can then be blamed on RU/Damascus/Iran by MSM as per usual remains to be seen. Or, as you put it in the earlier assessment on the unicorn failure at Aleppo, it may be a "face-saving compromise" where Obama's administration at long last has the good grace to bow out and let RU and allies clean up the contra-mess that is the unicorns, if nothing else. We'll have to wait until Monday to see what happens further.

[alba etie]

Barish
Wonder what we would be looking at if Bushcheney had occupied Riyahd instead of Baghdad ?

[Barish]

Perhaps the Two Holy Mosques would then have ended up in Jordanian hands - Hashemites being direct descendants of the Prophet and having had claim on those prior to Saudi conquest and all that -, with the rest of KSA-territory being split up among various principalities and other neighbouring states.

Probably would still have been a mess made worse for the ineptitude of that administration. Then again, given the Saudi's display of military "might"(/incompetence) vs. its southern neighbour just now, we might see if not a breakup a few changes to their borders yet.

[Ghostship]

This doesn't look good:
Militant Groups Redeploy Units to Aleppo’s Northwest amid Ceasefire in Syria
Terrorist groups have begun re-deploying their units to Kafr Hamra village Northwest of Aleppo city amid nationwide ceasefire in Syria, a source in the city said on Thursday.
"Terrorists are assembling a lot of fighters in Kafr Hamra. According to our data, they are forming assault groups," said the source, Ria Novosti reported.
According to the source, additional units were redeployed from Idlib province to Aleppo city.
"We do not know yet where the terrorists plan to strike, but it is very likely that they will try to block Castillo road, which is the city's Northern supply route," the source added.
I doubt the rebels are going to block the Castillo Road, I think it's far more likely that they're looking to retake the Castillo Road after the SAA have withdrawn their heavy weapons. I hope the Russian marines are ready for them.
Map showing Kafr Hamra and Castillo Road:
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.245831&lon=37.111816&z=13&m=b
WARNiNG - the link is to the article on an Iranian website
http://en.alalam.ir/news/1862002