A FSA soldier fighting against ISIS. Yahoo/AP/AMC
The Syrian government has stepped up airstrikes and other attacks on ISIS. Yahoo/AP. Bashar Al-Assad largely left ISIS alone since most of their attacks were directed at the FSA rebels. Recently though ISIS has been attacking government forces as well. ISIS fighters are attacking the last government held base in Raqqa province and are routing FSA forces in Aleppo, threatening government gains there. Syria would like to paint the airstrikes and battles as part of the worldwide struggle against terrorism and as a possible ally for other powers in the region fighting ISIS, including Iran, Iraq and perhaps even the United States. Predictably, the United States disagree.
My Comment:
The concept of the enemy of my enemy is my friend doesn't work when the "friend" is an enemy to all of humanity. Syria was very unwise to let ISIS get out of control even if they did get some temporary gains from ignoring them. At this point the greatest threat to both the government and the rebels is probably ISIS. If there was any sanity in this world both sides would put aside their differences and fight the common enemy but far to much blood has been shed. And ISIS wouldn't exist in a sane world...
As for Syria's claim that they are on the same side as the United States, I would tend to agree with them. I know that the U.S. government doesn't agree with me but facts on the ground makes me think they should rethink their position. No doubt that Bashar al-Assad is a brutal dictator and all around bad person, but he is not evil incarnate. ISIS is. Much like how we worked with the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany in World War II, it would be wise to work with Assad here. Especially since if ISIS defeats him his people, the Alawaties, would face the same persecution and genocide that the Christians and Yazidi's have faced in Iraq. Sure Assad has his sins, but they aren't so dire to condemn his people to death as well.
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