President Donald Trump is coming to the rescue of Al Qaeda freedom fighters in Northern Syria:

“President Bashar al-Assad of Syria must not recklessly attack Idlib Province,

The Russians and Iranians  would be  making a grave humanitarian mistake …

Hundreds of thousands of people could be killed,…

Don’t let that happen!”

“Humanitarian mistake”?  Since when has Trump expressed concern for saving lives?

Both the media and the US government are accusing Bashar al Assad of attacking a region which encompasses three million people. That’s more than the population of Damascus.  According to UN sources, there are at least 10,000 hardcore Al Qaeda affiliated rebels most of whom are mercenaries.

The unspoken truth is that the Syrian government is intent upon liberating a region of the country where civilians are being held hostage by Al Qaeda affiliated terrorists supported by the US and its allies.

Trump’s special envoy, Brett McGurk, admits that Idlib  has become “the largest al Qaeda safe haven since 9/11.” Until recently we called them “moderate rebels”.

Idlib is Al Qaeda’s de facto capital in Syria. According to Tony Cartalucci,  “Idlib remains one of the last remaining strongholds of Al Qaeda in Syria”.

The Al Qaeda rebels are the foot soldiers of the Western military alliance (with US and allied special forces, weapons and logistics experts within their ranks).

This terrorist stronghold is therefore of strategic importance to the US.  It constitutes a means to maintaining US and allied military presence in Northern Syria.

While many Al Qaeda fighters have surrendered and have left Syria via the humanitarian corridors, the remaining jihadist fighters have been unduly threatened not to abandon combat: “[they] would never lay down their weapons or surrender. By Allah, we have taken a vow about this, and we shall crucify anyone who surrenders his weapon.” (Testimony of a foreign Al Qaeda mercenary).

The target of military intervention on the part of Syrian and Russian forces would be limited to the 10,000 hard-core jihadist fighters, who have taken over Idlib city and the Idlib “Deescalation Zone”.

What is at stake is an intricate and complex counterterrorism operation directed against Al Qaeda fighters, which just so happen to be supported by Donald Trump.

“The Americans are on Our side”, says rebel Al Nusra commander in an interview with the Koelner Stadt Anzeiger (September 26, 2016).

Jabhat al-Nusra unit commander Abu Al Ezz confirmed that the US is sending weapons to Al Nusrah through “third countries”. 

“Yes, the US supports the opposition [in Syria], but not directly. They support the countries that support us. But we are not yet satisfied with this support,”

The above statement pertains to weapons deliveries by America’s allies including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Qatar and Turkey.

“Lethal Aid”: Weapons and Ammo to the Terrorists

There is a vast literature which documents covert support to Al Qaeda not to mention the shipment of weapons and ammo to Al Qaeda affiliated terrorists in Syria.

One example: according to Jane’s Defence Weekly, quoting documents released by the U.S. Government’s Federal Business Opportunities (FBO), the US –as part of its “counterterrorism campaign”– has provided Syrian rebels [aka moderate Al Qaeda] with large amounts of weapons and ammunition.

US military aid to the rebels channeled (unofficially) through the illicit market, is routine and ongoing. In December 2015, a major US sponsored shipment of a staggering 995 tons of weapons was conducted in blatant violation of the ceasefire. According to Jane’s Defence Weekly, the U.S.   “is providing [the weapons] to Syrian rebel groups as part of a programme that continues despite the widely respected ceasefire in that country [in December 2015].” (Michel Chossudovsky, Global Research, May 27, 2017)

Aid and Financial Support Channelled to Al Qaeda in Idlib

According to a study by the Century Foundation (quoted by Cartalucci) Al Qaeda has established a network of services and local institutions which are funded by the US, UK, and European Union: 

Screenshot of Century Foundation report

The Trump administration’s (unofficial) objective is ultimately to protect Al Qaeda and sabotage the Syrian government’s anti-terrorism campaign, which consists in dismantling the Al Qaeda terror stronghold and restoring civilian  government. 

America’s continued support of Al Qaeda is the fundamental issue. If that support were to cease, the conflict would be over.

What Relationship to September 11, 2001? 

In a bitter irony and unknown to the broader public, the Trump Administration is supporting in Syria the same network of Al Qaeda fighters which allegedly attacked America on September 11, 2001.

Sounds contradictory?

You cannot wage “a war on terrorism” and at the same time “come to the rescue of the terrorists”. Or can you?

In fact, that is what the US has being doing since the onslaught of the Soviet-Afgan war in 1979.

Image right: Al Nusra Brigade in Syria

As we might recall,  on the evening of September 11, 2001, President Bush in a televised address to the Nation said that he would:

“make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts ad those who harbor them”.

How does that relate to Donald Trump and Washington’s role in Syria?

Al Qaeda in Syria has been “harbored” by the US government (and its allies) since the outset of the war in March 2011.

Applying GWB’s 9/11 concept: America is the State Sponsor of Terrorism.  Q.E.D.