Obama: U.S. recognizes Syria's main rebel group

[pinto]

Source: LA Times

From the Associated Press
December 11, 2012, 3:56 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama declared Syria's main opposition group the sole "legitimate representative" of its country's people Tuesday, deeming the move "a big step" in the international diplomatic efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's embattled regime.

Obama said the newly formed Syrian Opposition Council "is now inclusive enough" to be granted the elevated status, which paves the way for the greater U.S. support for the organization.

"Obviously, with that recognition comes responsibilities," Obama said in an interview Tuesday with ABC News. "To make sure that they organize themselves effectively, that they are representative of all the parties, that they commit themselves to a political transition that respects women's rights and minority rights."

Recognition of the council as the sole representative of Syria's diverse population brings the U.S. in line with Britain, France and several of America's Arab allies, which took the same step shortly after the body was created at a meeting of opposition representatives in Qatar last month.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/la-obama-us-recognizes-syrias-main-rebel-group-20121211,0,3617128.story?track=rss

[jaysunb]

1. Big mistake....nt

[David__77]

2. So Obama decides Ikhwan should rule over all Syrians.

The Christians will be expected to pay jizya on account of their religious status. Why try to force this party on the people of Syria.

[pinto]

3. I think Obama and the State Department recognize the fractious religious/social divisions at play.

from the same article -

On Monday, Clinton designated Jabhat al-Nusra, or "the Support Front" in Arabic, a foreign terrorist organization. The move freezes any assets its members may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bars Americans from providing the group with material support. The designation is largely symbolic because the group is not thought to have holdings or support in the United States, but officials hope the penalties will encourage others to take similar action and discourage Syrians from joining.

That step was part of a package intended to help the leadership of the Syrian Opposition Council improve its standing and credibility as it pushes ahead with planning for a post-Assad future.

The administration took further action Tuesday against extremists on both sides, with the Treasury Department setting separate sanctions against two senior al-Nusra leaders and two militant groups operating under the control of the Syrian government. Two commanders of the pro-Assad shabiha force also were targeted.

"We will target the pro-Assad militias just as we will the terrorists who falsely cloak themselves in the flag of the legitimate opposition," said David S. Cohen, the department's sanctions chief.

[lib2DaBone]

4. 17 U.S. warships off the coast of Syria... Russia delivers missiles to Syria today

With NATO's delivery of Patriot Missiles to Turkey... Russia has drawn a red line of it's own.. delivering a shipment of the very dangerous Ishkander Balistic Missiles to Syria.

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(snip)
"The superior Iskander can travel at hypersonic speed of over 1.3 miles per second (Mach 6-7) and has a range of over 280 miles with pinpoint accuracy of destroying targets with its 1,500-pound warhead, a nightmare for any missile defense system.

According to Mashregh, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard media outlet, Russia had warned Turkey not to escalate the situation, but with Turkey’s request for Patriot missiles, it delivered its first shipment of Iskanders to Syria.

Reporting today, Mashregh said the handover occurred when Russian naval logistic vessels docked at Tartus in Syria.

The Iskandar is a surface-to-surface missile that no missile defense system can trace or destroy, Mashregh said. Russia had earlier threatened that should America put its missile defense system in Poland, it would retaliate by placing its Iskander missiles at Kaliningrad, its Baltic Sea port."
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This isn't looking good.

[amandabeech]

5. Do you have a link?

I'd like to get the full story.

I agree with you. This isn't looking good.

I am not convinced that supporting folks who will shoot at you elsewhere and turn on you on a dime are the folks we should be actively supporting. Afghanistan was a disaster and I'm not yet convinced that Libya was a good idea.