Mr. Assad wants to force his own people and the West to make an unpalatable choice: either he stays in place or Syria falls into the hands of ISIS’s fanatics. When push comes to shove, he thinks most Syrians and the Western powers will back him over the fundamentalists.That’s right, Geraldo.
But this plan will only work if ISIS is the most powerful rebel force. The signs are Mr. Assad has done his best to make this come true.READ IT ALL
As recently as 2012, ISIS was a marginalized movement confined to a small area of Iraq. Then Mr. Assad emptied Sednaya jail near Damascus of some of its most dangerous jihadist prisoners. If he hoped these men would join ISIS and strengthen its leadership, that aspiration was fulfilled. Several figures in the movement’s hierarchy are believed to be former inmates of Syrian prisons, carefully released by the regime.
By last year, ISIS had captured oilfields in eastern Syria. But to profit, they needed a customer for the oil. Mr. Assad’s regime began buying the oil from the jihadists, so helping to fund the movement, say Western and Middle Eastern governments.
We need another path, and one WITHOUT American forces on the ground which cannot be politically sustained to the point of victory.
Choosing to ally with Assad will turn out to be WORSE than sending money to ISI in Pakistan (who began the Taliban), WORSE than invading Iraq (4000+ US lives to get us where?), WORSE than ignoring Al Qaeda throughout the 1990’s, and worse than leaving Saddam in power in 1991.
Neither ISIS, nor Assad can improve the security of the people of this nation in any tactical or strategic manner, now or in the future.
And THAT ***IS***
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