This is a big development in the potential defeat of Syria’s Assad.   Hamas and Assad have been strategic allies and friends in ideology for a long time.   Hamas even hid their terrorists inside Syria with the help of Assad and has been aided with multiple arms shipments for years.   For Syria to publically back the revolt against Assad puts further credibility to the concern that al-qaeda elements, and radical islamists are at the heart of the uprising, or at the very least taking significant advantage of it.

CAIRO/GAZA, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas turned publicly against their long-time ally President Bashar al-Assad of Syria on Friday, endorsing the revolt aimed at overthrowing his dynastic rule.

The policy shift deprives Assad of one of his few remaining Sunni Muslim supporters in the Arab world and deepens his international isolation. It was announced in Hamas speeches at Friday prayers inCairo and a rally in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas went public after nearly a year of equivocating as Assad’s army, largely led by fellow members of the president’s Alawite sect, has crushed mainly Sunni protesters and rebels. (more…)

Pentagon officials say drones used to gather evidence to make case for international response; 40 Turkish intelligence officials captured in Syria, Assad regime claims Israel’s Mossad trained them.  SYRIA –  The United States is flying unmanned reconnaissance planes over Syria to monitor the regime’s escalating crackdown on dissent, U.S. defense officials told NBC television on Saturday.

The drones are being used to gather evidence on the Syrian security forces’ violence against pro-democracy protesters that can be used to “make a case for a widespread international response,” the U.S.-based broadcaster quoted the unnamed officials as saying.

The Pentagon officials stressed that the U.S. is not preparing the ground for a military intervention, but is simply collecting evidence of President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on protesters.

There was no official comment from Syria on the report. (more…)

There is a similarity between the rebel factions that sprung up in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and now Syria.  In this recent video release from The FSA (Free Syrian Army) the connection is evident.  They are proudly displaying the flag of al-Qaeda.  This should give urgent pause to any cries of arming a Syrian rebellion;  alas I hold no confidence we will do anything different.

But watch the progressive left continue to sell the narrative of a poor freedom rebellion just like they did in Egypt and in Libya, only to see the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and a Sharia-compliant governance model.   Highlighting once again the shortsighted Obama policy that has given rise to radical islamists around the Middle East.

(via al-Wasat) This past Thursday, on February 16, a group of around twenty individuals claiming to be part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), released a video message to YouTube announcing the formation of a new battalion named the al-Bara’ ibn Malik Martyrs Brigade.

It should be noted that during the Iraq war, al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) also named one of their battalions the al-Bara’ ibn Malik Martyrs Brigade. There is no definitive proof that the new battalion established by the FSA is connected with the old al-Qa’ida in Iraq networks. That said, one should be cognizant of the expansive facilitation networks there were for foreign fighters attempting to join the Iraq jihad in Syria. (more…)

Lord Of The Tarp John McCain wants us to protect the Syrian people with US military.  

This guy has never met a war he didn’t like and in my opinion is about as attached to reality as President Obama.   Remember, this is the same John McCain who recently flew to Cairo with John ‘ketchup’ Kerry to open their stock market while the al-qaeda flag flys above the state capital, and the Muslim Brotherhood takes charge.    Doofus.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) — The United States  should move quickly to protect Syrian dissidents, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said  Thursday. (more…)

Once again President Obama shows how incredibly influential his administration can be in the world.   NOT.   President Obama makes a statement to the global community demanding support for a resolution against Syria’s Assad.  Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton follows up and makes demands of the global community for support of Obama, and then UN ambassador Susan Rice delivers the United States demands for a resolution against the Syrian regime.

Russia and China laughing uncontrollably at the little man Obama, Pantsuits, and the woman of bovine fart (global warming) infamy Susan Rice, tell them to sit on their puny foot stomping resolution and rotate. (more…)

Considering we have been highlighting the al-Qaeda connection in Libya since March this comes as no surprise.  What is concerning however, is the fact the source states the U.S. has been aware of the leadership activity around the area of Benghazi and the Libyan/Egyptian border.   Not concerning from the perspective of a “surprise”, but concerning in that either:   a.) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton intentionally lied.  Or, b.) the State Dept. really did not know the information known by the CIA and U.S. military.

At the exact timeframe this report describes, Treepers were just getting to know rebel leader, and former Libyan Justice Minister, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil.  We suspected from the outset he was connected to Radical Islamist Jihadists and potentially al-Qaeda operatives within the Muslim Brotherhood elements crossing the border from Egypt to help train, arm, and fight against Quackdaffy.   Looks like our suspicions, and the interpretations we were piecing together from internal reports were correct.   Check it out:

(CNN) – Al Qaeda’s leadership has sent experienced jihadists to Libya in an effort to build a fighting force there, according to a Libyan source briefed by Western counter-terrorism officials.

The jihadists include one veteran fighter who had been detained in Britain on suspicion of terrorism. The source describes him as committed to al Qaeda’s global cause and to attacking U.S. interests.  The source told CNN that the al Qaeda leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, personally dispatched the former British detainee to Libya earlier this year as the Gadhafi regime lost control of large swathes of the country. (more…)

The primary support for Syria comes from Iran.  Period.  This is no secret.  In response to criticism over the failure of Obama to support the Iranian “green movement” uprising President Obama specifically said in 2009 he wanted to extend his unclenched fist to Iran and work on better relations.  To prove his point Obama watched Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shoot his opposition in the street and stood silent.   At the same time Hillary Clinton called Syria’s Bashar Assad a “moderate” and a “reformer”.

However, now that attacking Iran’s nuclear ambition -to improve his “gutsy caller” image- becomes a process of Obama’s re-election strategy, you can expect a complete change in tone and approach to Assad.  It’s less about Syria, and much less aboout Assad or his brutal dictatorship, and more about Obama re-election optics.

(Foreign Policy) As the violence in Syria spirals out of control, top officials in President Barack Obama‘s administration are quietly preparing options for how to assist the Syrian opposition, including gaming out the unlikely option of setting up a no-fly zone in Syria and preparing for another major diplomatic initiative.

Critics on Capitol Hill accuse the Obama administration of being slow to react to the quickening deterioration of the security situation in Syria, where over 5,000 have died, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. Many lawmakers say the White House is once again “leading from behind,” while the Turks,  the French, and the Arab League — which sent an observer mission to Syria this week – take the initiative to pursue more aggressive strategies for pressuring the Assad regime. But U.S. officials said that they are moving cautiously in order to avoid destabilizing Syria further, and to make sure they know as much as possible about the country’s complex dynamics before getting more involved. (more…)