With Syrian-based ISIS virtually non-existent, US officials are looking for a new enemy to justify the continued military presence there. The focus seems to be falling on al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, which officials are claiming poses a threat of launching attacks in the West.
The US policy on Syrian al-Qaeda has been very complicated over the years, with US support for rebels often boiling down to US arming of al-Qaeda forces. The US has also tended to be deeply critical of Russian and Syrian government attacks on al-Qaeda in northern Syria, even as they now argue the group poses a threat. Continue reading “US Officials Say Syrian al-Qaeda Poses a Growing Threat to the West”