Did the US Train ISIS Rebels to Fight Against Assad in Syria?
Allegations are mounting that the US trained Syrian rebels to fight against Assad only to see them later join ISIS and turn against the US-backed Iraqi Army.
By Barry Donegan
Jun 18, 2014
U.S. Special Forces Training Syrian Rebel Fighters In Jordan
Special note: the above Fox News video, from 2013, references the existence of a US-led training program in Jordan aimed at strengthening the Syrian opposition against Assad, which some have alleged might have equipped ISIS fighters with the tactics they are currently using against the US-trained Iraqi Army.
Iraq has fallen into total disarray, with a rebel group called ISIS, or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, having conquered broad sections of the nation, along with a significant amount of territory in neighboring Syria. Though the Iraqi military claims to have ISIS contained, clashes are currently taking place within 140 miles of Baghdad. The US is sending ground troops back to Iraq, and officials representing the government of the war-torn nation have asked the US to provide air support against ISIS.
However, is it possible that the very rebels fighting against the US-backed government in Iraq were trained by American forces in an effort to strengthen the Free Syrian Army's rebellion against Assad in Syria? Back in March of 2013, Reuters reported that the German magazine Der Spiegel published an account by organizers of the Syrian rebellion claiming that US trainers, some wearing uniforms, were seen providing anti-tank training in Jordan to anti-Assad forces. Though the article mentioned that the training program was meant to exclude radicals that might turn against locals in Jordan, it is challenging to run background checks on everyone who joins a rebel group. Also, individuals who seemed ideologically moderate at one time could later on join a group like ISIS, especially considering its escalating momentum.
In January of 2014, a rift formed between members of the Syrian rebellion and ISIS, largely over tactics. However, ISIS has been successful in its military campaign against the Iraqi government, and this has led its ranks to grow. It's difficult to know whether the rebels allegedly trained by the US in Jordan have since joined ISIS, but The Washington Post is reporting that ISIS just released a new propaganda video touting its American-style military tactics. The video not only shows a capable military force with mature training, but it also contains footage of rebel fighters using an anti-tank guided missile system.
It is tough to conclusively prove whether or not ISIS fighters were the individuals being trained by the US in Jordan. However, the group's beginnings lie in the Syrian rebellion, and its military tactics look distinctly American. The latest ISIS propaganda video even demonstrates sophisticated anti-tank tactics, which were the focus of the alleged 2013 training session in Jordan. The division between other Syrian rebel groups and ISIS didn't grow until January of 2014, several months after Der Spiegel's report. The Guardian also corroborated Der Spiegel's assertions, noting that special operators from the US, UK, and France were working together in Jordan to strengthen the Syrian opposition and that anti-aircraft missiles, like those seen in ISIS' new propaganda video, were being funneled over the border from Turkey to Syrian fighters. An Associated Press article referenced by CBS News also noted the existence of the training program.
At this point, not enough clear evidence exists to confirm or deny the rumors that the US might have inadvertently provided ISIS with the training to defeat US-trained forces in Iraq. However, this would not be the first time American tactics and weapons have been found on both sides of a conflict. Also, ISIS' latest propaganda video demonstrates a tactically mature force using anti-tank weapons, which was the specific focus of the alleged training session in Jordan. When the fog of war clears, it is entirely possible that history will reflect that the US inadvertently armed and trained the very opposition group that would later undo all of its efforts to strengthen the government in Iraq.
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Source: Sputnik
US Congress Exposes CENTCOM Propaganda Scheme: Cooking Intel on Syria Fight
by Ameer Alhalbi
August 11, 2016
A joint task force has determined that defense intelligence appraisals provided by US Central Command systematically provided a distorted "rosy" picture, in stark contrast to battlefield realities, in order to create the false appearance that the US strategy in Syria and Iraq was succeeding.
On Thursday, a congressional joint task force (JTF) investigating allegations of intelligence manipulation at US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a report highlighting systematic failures since 2015 with CENTCOM reporting and analysis of efforts to train Iraqi Security Forces and combat the Daesh extremist network in Iraq and Syria. From right: Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Constantine Palace
Notably, the report found that the intelligence products approved by senior CENTCOM leaders routinely provided a more rosy depiction of US anti-terrorism efforts than on-the-ground realities indicated, including appraisals that were consistently more positive than those produced by other agencies and departments within the US intelligence establishment.The Joint Task Force, established by the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Defense, determined that there were intentional efforts to manipulate and propagandize battlefield realities, possibly for the purpose of scoring political points in a heated election season. The committee was led by Congressmen Ken Calvert (R-CA), Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH).
The allegations laid out by the JTF are likely to be dismissed as a "partisan witch hunt" against the White House, but initial findings that electoral politics have resulted in the manipulation of America's defense imperative is not an uncommon theme for US presidential administrations, and that of President Barack Obama is no exception.
Representative Pompeo, in a statement, took the Defense Department to task, observing that "the United States Central Command's most senior intelligence leaders manipulated the command's intelligence products to downplay the threat from [Daesh] in Iraq," and argued that the fraudulently "rosy" claims of operational success "may well have resulted in putting American troops at risk as policymakers relied on this intelligence when formulating policy and allocating resources for the fight."
Alexander Mercouris, editor of The Duran and an expert on the Syrian civil war and the battle against Daesh, expressed his concern to Sputnik over the congressional findings.
"I think the point was to give the impression that the policy of supporting so-called moderate rebels in Iraq and Syria who were fighting [Daesh], was more successful than it actually was," Mercouris said."The Obama Administration announced this great policy that it would take on Daesh and defeat Daesh by bombing the terrorist group and supporting 'moderate' groups in Syria and Iraq to fight Daesh, but without supporting the Syrian government which was actually fighting Daesh. The result of that policy was a complete failure."
"Daesh actually increased its areas of control," he added, "capturing Palmyra, and there were reports that they would have captured Damascus last autumn if the Russians had not intervened."
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Source: Katehon
US continues to support ISIS and lies about it
August 12, 2016
Again facts and reports support are views about America's suspicious role in suppoerting extremist and terrorist movements throughout "Middle East" and this time from within the US Congress itself.
What this report by the US House of Representatives is about is the manipulation inside US military command structures on intelligence assessments about fighting against "ISIS". The accusation is that US military officials have painted a picture of a more optimistic view of the efforts of the United States in the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
This has came to reaffirm the lack of seriousness of United States in the war against ISIS and its inaction to contribute to the eventual elimination of this organization. This highlights once again the question over the relationship between Washington and this criminal organization, and this time by fabricating reports on efforts related to Daesh in order to say that there are traces of any seriousness US military efforts to fight against ISIS while the truth is contrary.
While it is known that the "international coalition" announced alleged raids on "Daesh" in September 2014, it has been shown, according to Republican Rep. Mike Pompeo, that "since mid-2014 until mid-2015, commands of US forces officials in the Middle East (CENTCOM) manipulated intelligence information in order to reduce the danger posed by the organization Daesh in Iraq. "
Not far from this, comes the US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who accuses the current US administration as "ISIS's foundation". Trump said on Thursday: "Obama and Clinton are the most valuable players "for the organization 'ISIS'".
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Further reading:
'Zio-American empire' behind Daesh havoc: Academic
The Yinon Plan: A Continuation of British Strategy in the Middle East - Strategic Plan to Ensure Israeli Regional Superiority by Balkanizing Surrounding Arab States - A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm - Sectarian Schemes Unleashed by External Actors - Demonizing Opponents Through Crooked PR Campaigns
Aleppo: The Reality Is Not Good News for Americans
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