Syrian rebels divided in fight against Assad [View all]

[another_liberal]

This news item caught my attention as I was skimming the offerings on Al Jezeera English this morning:

For the first time, Al Jazeera has gained access to a frontline view of the stand-off outside al-Raqqa city in northern Syria.

Opposition snipers from the Ahrar al-Sham Brigade, a group that has a reputation for some of the fiercest combat fighters in Syria’s war, are in the forefront of the fight against President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Al-Sham wants an Islamic state in Syria and shares ideology with groups like Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq. That puts Al-Sham ideologically apart from the Free Syria Army, creating a division that is holding back the revolution.

Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons reports from al-Raqqa.

http://www.aljazeera.com/video/middleeast/2013/05/20135288586886631.html

Click on the link and view the video offered. It provides much more detail concerning the above mentioned divisions in the Syrian opposition forces. From what the individuals interviewed had to say, it is an open question whether our current efforts to arm some of those fighting Assad may actually do more harm than good. This situation is highly complicated. We would be well advised to proceed with caution.