Should We Continue To Back The 'rebels' ?

[youngmafbog]

Now a direct and clear admission that some Syrian 'freedom' (and I use the word loosley since I doubt it would mean that if they won) at least are affiliated with al-Qaeda

Should the West distance itself totally from this mess now?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22095099

[anotheoldgit]

The West should distance itself from all these vicious Middle Eastern groups, since they all play to a different set of rules, than we do.

[Gromit]

You mixing up Al Nusra with the Free Syrian Army?

The United States declared Al Nusra a terrorist organisation long ago, which is why we are supporting their rivals, the Free Syrian Army instead.

[missnemesis]

Yes.

[Sqad]

I have never been one, not to back my decision once it has been made (sometimes unwisely)

I cannot for the life of me remember why we backed them in the first place, but in the back of my mind it was to oppose the repressive Ashad regime.......we backed their "cause" rather than them as a political body and as the "cause" hasn't changed, we should continue to back them.

You never know we may earn some "brownie points" from al-Qaeda....;-)

[missnemesis]

Oops pressed submit too quickly. Yes the west should distance itself from this and the rest of the Middle Eastern in fighting.

[jake-the-peg]

I don't think we're opposing the Assad regieme because they're oppressive

China is oppressive and we're hardly trying to overthrow them

We're opposing the Assad regieme because the Americans have them on a boycott along with Cuba, Iran and North Korea

Their relationship with the old USSR didn't help but officially they are state sponsors of terrorism in the shape of Hezbollah.

http://www.cfr.org/syria/state-sponsor-syria/p9368

Anybody looking for 'good guys' and 'bad guys' in the Middle East is going to be disappointed.

I think a good rule of thumb is anybody operating in the Middle East, Syria, Egypt, Israel, the CIA, MI6 is probably up to their neck in it!

[youngmafbog]

I reckon your right there Jake.

No, not mixing them up Gromit. They are fighting the Government too so dont imagine any help to a rebel wont also end up in their hands too.

[Old_Geezer]

A regime being oppressive can be a reason to oppose them. But no one is going to do insane things just because one would like change. A decision would be made taking all into consideration, such as, would a proposed action result in major problems. I think China is fairly safe from more than attempts to persuade.

I don't really know the diplomatic reasoning behind who we support and who not. Unfortunately we often just have to trust those who make the decisions, given no one knows a better system. I just hope that whoever comes out on top they are grateful for the support we gave: and that they don't become a future embarrassment and someone we'd prefer out of power.

[modeller]

jtp // We're opposing the Assad regieme because the Americans have them on a boycott along with Cuba, Iran and North Korea//

So the fact that also most of the world apart from China and Russia support sanctions has nothingf to do with it. It's just the Americans is it.