September 15, 2013 · 7:30 pm
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Oh, those pesky “facts”

The UK Telegraph ran a report today from IHS Jane’s, stating that nearly half of the rebel fighters in Syria are hardline Islamists/jihadis (report here).  According to Charles Lister, the author of the report, the idea that the insurgency is mostly secular in nature, just isn’t borne out by the facts.  Just a reminder that a week and a half ago  John Kerry was still quoting Ms. Elizabeth O’Bagy, former senior analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, with her lowball estimates of radical Syrian rebels (Reuters report here).   My how “facts” change so quickly ……..

6 Comments

Filed under Foreign Policy, Military, Politics, The Media

6 responses to “Oh, those pesky “facts””

  1. Justin's avatar Justin
    September 16, 2013 at 3:32 pm

    Just to supplement:

    According to a report in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Israel, which had supported the proposed US strikes on the Assad regime, recently expressed concern to Secretary of State Kerry that a military strike in Syria could strengthen al Qaeda-linked groups and allow them to seize Mr. Assad’s weapons.

    Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2013/09/the_growing_role_jihadists_in.php#ixzz2f5NZJdnK

    Reply

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