US Intel. Officials: Al-Qaeda Gaining Foothold in Syria

Al-Qaeda has advanced beyond isolated pockets of activity in Syria and now is building a network of well-organized cells, according to US intelligence officials, who fear the terrorists could be on the verge of establishing an Iraq-like foothold that would be hard to defeat if rebels eventually oust President Bashar Assad. Armed terrorists

At least a couple of hundred al-Qaeda-linked militants are already operating in Syria, and their ranks are growing as foreign fighters stream into the Arab country daily, current and former US intelligence officials say according to media reports.

The units are spreading from city to city, with veterans of the Iraq insurgency employing their expertise in bomb-building to carry out more than two dozen attacks so far, the reports added.

Others are using their experience in coordinating small units of fighters in Afghanistan to win new followers.

In Syria on Friday, insurgent commanders appealed anew for new and better weapons from abroad, complaining that Assad's forces have them badly outgunned from the air and on the ground.

“In fact, rebel leaders say that with so little aid coming to them from the US and other nations, they are slowly losing the battle for influence against hardline militants. They say their fighters are sometimes siding with extremists who are better funded and armed so they can fight the far stronger Syrian army,” News 24 Website said.

It all could point to a widening danger posed by extremists who have joined rebels fighting the Assad government, it added.

Rand analyst Seth Jones said the presence of extremists was small but growing. He said the US should consider using its forces or getting the rebels or a regional proxy to attack the al-Qaeda units.

"There has been talk that some operatives in Pakistan are saying, 'Why don't we see if we can make it to Syria,'" he said. "That's where the fight is."

If they win local loyalty by fighting alongside Syrian rebels, they will be hard to eliminate no matter how Syria's future pans out, said former CIA analyst Riedel.

"Look at Iraq, where we decimated them time and again," Riedel said. "They're still there."


Source: Websites	11-08-2012 - 14:31 Last updated 11-08-2012 - 14:31 \| 2044 View

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Number of comments: 14

1 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:45	2012-08-12
The active role the Saudi-backed Wahhabis, CIA and some western intelligence organizations are playing in Syria, there is one entity, namely Israel which is stealthily espying every single development in Syria. For the first time, an Israeli spy official clearly stated that Israel supports regime change in Syria and that it really demands an end to the government of President Bashar Assad.

2 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:47	2012-08-12
Such a feeble perception of the Syrian situation is indicative of one who is either too optimistic or one who is well aware of what is going on behind the scene and that which is not visible to the ordinary people with no intelligence savvy.

3 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
alan \| USA	19:48	2012-08-12
Furthermore, Dan Meridor does not seem to understand that the situation in Israel is spiraling out of control with people protesting against social injustice almost on a daily basis. Since last month, four Israelis have set themselves ablaze from an extremity of despair.

4 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:49	2012-08-12
On August 5, John McCain and Lindsey O. Graham, both Republicans, who represent Arizona and South Carolina in the Senate, respectively and Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent, who represents Connecticut in the Senate advised the US government to directly and openly provide assistance, including weapons, intelligence and training, to the insurgents in Syria as they claim President’s Assad’s ‘brutality’ is no longer to be tolerated.

5 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:50	2012-08-12
“It is not too late for the United States to shift course. First, we can and should directly and openly provide robust assistance to the armed opposition, including weapons, intelligence and training. Whatever the risks of our doing so, they are far outweighed by the risks of continuing to sit on our hands, hoping for the best.”

6 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:51	2012-08-12
Another part of this sabotage axis against Syria is Turkey which plays a very treacherous role in snowballing the Syrian crisis. Turkey has supplied the rebels with dozens of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). According to NBC, the missile supplies might have been provided by Turkey, Saudi Kingdom and Qatar monarchy, the three countries which have made strenuous and costly efforts to overthrow the government of Bashar Assad.

7 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
alany11@msn.com \| USA	19:52	2012-08-12
In a press conference at the United Nations in New York City, a Syrian UN representative announced that Turkey shipped US-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to rebels via Turkey, saying that Turkey was pleased with Kofi Annan’s resignation because Ankara and Washington were initially opposed to his six point peace plan.

8 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:53	2012-08-12
In fact, Turkey should be grateful to Syria what it has done for it in the past. It is acknowledged by many pundits that it was Bashar’s father Hafiz Assad who made peace between Turkey and the Kurds living on both sides of the country, thereby vaccinating Turkey for years against any attacks on the part of the Kurds.

9 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:54	2012-08-12
The antagonistic policies of Turkey have left President Bashar Assad with no choice but to grant autonomy to the Kurds in Syria who can foment dilemma for the Ankara government and get Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan into hot water. The ongoing Kurdish insurgency has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 48000 over the past two decades.

10 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:55	2012-08-12
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is sharply aware of what a deep impact this decision can exercise on the security of Turkey. He claimed the two groups had built a “structure in northern Syria” that for Turkey means “a structure of terror.” Turkey is making a tactical mistake by supporting terrorism in Syria and supplying them with weapons, military training and human resources. Turkey will certainly fall into the pitfall it has dug for Syria and the insecurity it envisages for Syria will ultimately recoil against the government itself.

11 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:56	2012-08-12
As for Washington and NATO, they are making a selfsame mistake. The two are fondling terrorism and extremism by throwing support behind the insurgents in Syria. They know that a popular uprising in the true sense of the word is not clearly discernible in Syria and that what has been taking place in Syria is a string of militancy and terrorist operations funded by the Saudis and the Qataris and some western countries who are waiting to reap the benefits of their atrocities in case Bashar Assad’s government collapses. Such a day, if it comes, will open a new chapter of horror in the Middle East with no end in sight.

12 - America\’s New World Order and the Disposessed Majority
Alan \| USA	19:57	2012-08-12
The unfurling reality is that the hostile states and powers antagonizing Bashar Assad are gradually getting caught up in the labyrinthine Orwellian pitfall of their own folly and that they are consciously or unconsciously working in the best interests of the Zionist regime.

13 - CIA: "Yes we know Al CiaDa are in Syria"
Progressive Press \| USA	03:32	2012-08-13
Of course CIA know how many Al Qaeda are in Syria, because they trained them and infiltrated them into the country themselves. Read Chap 4 \"Al Qaeda: The CIAâ€™s Arab Legion\" and Chap. 16 \"Islamic Fundamentalism: Fostered by US Foreign Policy\" in \"9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA\" by Webster G Tarpley.

14 - CIA: "Yes we know Al CiaDa are in Syria"
Progressive Press \| USA	13:29	2012-08-13
Of course CIA know how many Al Qaeda are in Syria, because they trained them and infiltrated them into the country themselves. Read Chap 4 \"Al Qaeda: The CIAâ€™s Arab Legion\" and Chap. 16 \"Islamic Fundamentalism: Fostered by US Foreign Policy\" in \"9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA\" by Webster G Tarpley.

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