NEW YORK TIMES: It was a victory that President Bashar al-Assad’s opponents had dreamed of: Insurgents seized a key army base in northern Syriaafter more than a year of trying. But the mood in this Turkish border town, flooded with Syrians who have fled both government bombings and extremist insurgents, was more bitter than celebratory.
The assault this month was led by the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s arm in Syria, which claimed the spoils. By contrast, many of the first Syrians to rise up against Mr. Assad in 2011 — civilian demonstrators and army defectors alike — followed the battle from the sidelines here, unable to enter Syria under threat of death from the extremists of Nusra and its rival group, the Islamic State.
As Syria’s war heads toward its fourth year, the complex battleground is increasingly divided between the government and the extremists, leaving many Syrians feeling that the revolution on which they gambled their lives and livelihoods has failed… (more)
EDITOR: A couple of years ago, public sentiment and lack of support in Congress dissuaded President Barack Obama from carrying out his threat of retaliation against Bashar al Assad for using poison gas on the rebels. It was a fortunate backing off. The USA has no role in this Syrian civil war between Assad and more and more Al Qaeda. The irony is that what indirect military support we might conceivably provide could now go to the to Assad.
What we can and should do is help alleviate the conditions of the million refugees. In addition to lightening the load on our allies, Jordan and Turkey, it will build good will with moderates for the future.
