Militants attack Syrian troops on edge of rebel stronghold

'Invited' or not, there are no foreign funded 'good' guys fighting in Syria. Or Iraq. Or Libya. Or any other country where oil and gas and their shipment are being fought over.

Way passed time to move away from the fossil era.

Al Qaida are the bad guys right?

Correct. It is also not a legitimate rebel group he uses it wants to set up a terror-driven system and not simply free the people from the brutal Assad regime. Of course, to understand this, you have to be able to grasp nuance and not see the world through black and white glasses.

'Invited' or not, there are no foreign funded 'good' guys fighting in Syria. Or Iraq. Or Libya. Or any other country where oil and gas and their shipment are being fought over.

Except Americans because we clearly know what is best given our love of democracy and freedom. (Sarcasm.)

Just read a long article on how the Russian press has recently become harshly critical of Assad, his supporters, and Iranian militia influence in Syria, and how Russia, seeing no long-term benefit there, is trying to find a way out of Syria. So now, if some al Qaida-linked fighters are attacking Alawite soldiers, who is 'good' and who is 'bad'?

@Chip Star

It is also not a legitimate rebel group

What do you mean by legitimate? Who produces cerificates of legitimacy?

to understand this, you have to be able to grasp nuance and not see the world through black and white glasses

One of the most abiding myths created by the Western propaganda apparatus about the Syrian war is the existence of some "democratic opposition". Actually it does nor exist. Early in the war there were rebel groups that were secular (mainly defectors from the Syrian Army), but not any more. Long ago they either morphed into openly Jihadist gangs or became mercenaries on Turkish payroll, who are fighting Kurds or, more recently, are being transferred to Libya to fight for the Turkey client Saraj.

@nandakandamanda

Just read a long article on how the Russian press has recently become harshly critical of Assad

Interesting. Can you provide a link?

Chip Star:

Correct. It is also not a legitimate rebel group he uses it wants to set up a terror-driven system and not simply free the people from the brutal Assad regime.

What is a "legitimate rebel group" in your mind? Are you going back to McCains and Obamas famous "vetted rebels", aka ISIS in drag? And just for your information, under the Assad goverment, religious minorities like Shiites, Christians, Druzes, and Yazidis are protected, something you can not say about ANY of Sunni "rebels".

Ptownsend:

'Invited' or not, there are no foreign funded 'good' guys fighting in Syria. Or Iraq. Or Libya. Or any other country where oil and gas and their shipment are being fought over.

For your information, there is very little oil Syria. And in times of an oil glut like right nobody is fighting over the stuff.

Instead of looking for excuses, you might want to read up on the long ongoing fight for dominance between the Sunni and Shia powers in the region.

Asakaze, to provide links, one here: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1672751

and this is the one I read first:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russia-is-turning-against-iranand-assadin-syria

nandakandamanda, thank you. Interesting reading. We'll see how much truth in it.