First U.S.-trained Syria rebel believed killed in fighting: sources

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A member of a new Syrian force trained by the U.S. military was believed to have been killed in clashes last week with al Qaeda's Syria wing, in what would be the fledgling force's first battlefield casualty, U.S. officials said on Monday.

The U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss the incident, said the Syrian rebel was believed to have been killed during fighting on Friday with suspected members of Nusra Front. One of the officials described the information as preliminary.

The Pentagon declined to comment, citing "operational security reasons."

Friday's attack triggered the first U.S. air strikes to support the Syrian force. At the time, the U.S. military said the fighters repelled the attack, without citing casualties among the U.S.-trained force.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/u-defend-syrian-rebels-airpower-including-assad-015955787.html

[independentpiney]

1. According to the Guardian 5 killed, 18 wounded and a leader captured

out of a total trained 'force' of approximately 60 fighters. I'd say that makes them combat ineffective before they got out of their compound. I can't imagine how anyone with any military or state expertise could believe this Captain America brigade would amount to much more than target practice for most of the other groups.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/31/us-trained-rebels-killed-captured-syrian-al-qaida-affiliate-nusra

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. But protecting them becomes an excuse for deeper US involvement in the civil war.

Stupid, cynical move on the US's part.