"Syrian opposition outlets revealed on January 6 that several commanders of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) are currently in the US capital, Washington, to meet with US officials. The visit was not officially announced by the US or any FSA group.
Head of the Political Office of the Mu’tasim Brigade, Mustapha Sejeri, told the Syrian pro-oppositions news outlet ANA Press that the visit is aimed at strengthening the cooperation between the FSA and the US.
Sejeri also revealed that fighting “the Iranian influence in Syria” was the main topic during the meeting between the two sides. The Mu’tasim Brigade official also stressed that the FSA is ready to fight Iran in Syria with support from the USA.
Moreover, Sejeri said that other points were discussed with the American side including foiling the upcoming National Syrian National Dialogue Conference that will be held in the Russian city of Sochi on January 29. The two sides also discussed the outcomes of Geneva Talks, according to Sejeri.
Via Twitter, Sejeri revealed more details and claimed that the FSA and the US also discussed countering the influence of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in eastern Syria. Sejeri’s statement was a shock to many Kurdish activists as the Kurdish dominated force is the main ally of the US in Syria." SF
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After the US, Israel and the Gulfy potentates incited an Arab Spring style revolt in Syria (amusing considering the nature of the Gulf states), the US undertook to stage manage the delivery of US and European made equipment to defectors from the Syrian armed forces. A lot of this materiel had been purchased by the Gulf states but since they are collectively and individually incapable of the military art somewhat as Elizabeth I was said to be "incapable of man") the US ran the whole deal using various CIA people and a few military personnel seconded to CIA to train and advise what I have called a "unicorn army," so named because they were always something of an illusion. These folks failed repeatedly in combat, often surrendered to gathering hordes of actual jihadi rebels and were a great source of weapons and US trained personnel for them.
As time passed, AQ in Syria (now known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [HTS]) achieved nearly complete dominance in western Syria and the Unicorn Army became less and less important. This has been especially true since the commencement of the Russian direct intervention. Since then the SAA and its allies (R+6) have recaptured most of Syria west of the Euphrates and are just now engaged in carving up HTS like a roasted fowl in Idlib Province.
At the same time the US military command in Iraq has managed to extend its influence into eastern Syria through the combined Kurd/Arab forces of the SDF/YPG. How did they do that? Well, pilgrims, the US Green Berets who write on this site can explain it to you. It is a question of acceptance of successful local leaders and a willingness to stand with them while not trying to command them.
So ... why are the unicorn leaders now in Washington being wined and dined and treated as though they are people of substance? Is there really still a faction of the Borg (foreign policy establishment) who want to continue to back the unicorns against Russian efforts toward reconciliation in Syria and against our SDF/YPG allies? Really? pl
https://southfront.org/free-syrian-army-commanders-visit-washington-reports/
Sounds like another rebranding effort, but this time, instead of rebranding extremist groups to keep the $ and arms flowing, they're rebranding the entire unpopular regime change effort in Syria to a broader anti-Iran campaign.
The "pushing Iran out of Syria" objective has appeared in many hawkish think tank papers, neocon analysis and news articles for at least a year.
Trump could not be sold on continuing the regime change battle but maybe he could be sold on a rebranded anti-Iran campaign now that the anti-ISIS justification is running out.
Posted by: gemini33 | 10 January 2018 at 07:22 AM
But pushing Iran out if Syria doesn't have the moral high ground for people who don't really care about Israel.
Posted by: charly | 10 January 2018 at 11:07 AM
Does sound pretty fishy. A dissident Alawite group would presumably want Assad out but not the Russians, and would more likely target Assad family loyalists, as presumably in one at least of the cases you mentioned in your last paragraph.
Perhaps they exist on a very small level and someone decided using their name would be a useful cover?
Posted by: JohnsonR | 11 January 2018 at 11:45 AM