Syrian rebel troops

(December 12, 2013)

The USA wants the Free Syrian Army to prevail, but it looks like the FSA is not the most powerful of the rebel groups in Syria. I don't think the USA trusts the other rebel groups as much.

This week, I think that the stronger rebel groups booted the FSA out from some of its headquarters, and maybe even took a lot of their weapons.

The BBC Arabic did a discussion between some spokesman from each of the various rebel armies. They were all trying to put a spin on the recent events.

Don't take any of this as solid fact, I don't know how accurately I understood!

For example, a spokesman for the more powerful rebel groups was part of the discussion. He was asked: what are you going to do, because the US and the UK say they don't want to give any weapons to you.

The spokesman said: If the US wants to give us weapons, we thank them; and if they don't want to give us weapons, we also thank them. He sounded really tired.

After he spoke for a good while, he had to leave the show early, so the BBC Arabic moderator bid him farewell.

There were other guests on the show:

The one with the bulging cheeks and fly-away hair on the left is, I think, a representative of the Free Syrian Army. He was speaking from "the border between Syria and Turkey." Doesn't that sound like such a forlorn, lonely place?

The one in the middle spoke English, had everything translated to him, and was speaking from Washington. He was an analyst who was very exasperated with Obama's policies on Syria.

The one on the right is speaking from Amman, Jordan, and I don't remember who he was.

The man with the bulging cheeks finally said: "Listen! We are prepared to cooperate with everyone. We will help all the rebel groups. We don't care what their affiliation is, but we will help. Mr. Other Rebels Spokesman, if you want us, we are prepared to come to wherever you are and help you fight, we will fight for your, we will be strong and do whatever it takes."

It is hard to listen to people who are so desperate, whether or not you are on "their side". Then the BBC Arabic moderator said quite coolly, I'm sorry, the man you're speaking with left the program quite some time ago, he is not present at the moment. In any case, let me turn to another guest ...