CSNbbs

...and major media outlets either ignored, tried to reinforce the narrative that the rebels who did this are "moderate," or tried to weave it into their Manchurian Candidate conspiracy theories (you probably could have guessed I'm talking about WaPo, right?). I can't say too many good things about Trump, but it just seems like not sponsoring people who behead small children is the kind of common-sense policy that would have universal support. It speaks volumes about how ****** up DC is that it is not.

Quote:Earlier this year, President Donald Trump was shown a disturbing video of Syrian rebels beheading a child near the city of Aleppo. It had caused a minor stir in the press as the fighters belonged to the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, a group that had been supported by the CIA as part of its rebel aid program.

The footage is haunting. Five bearded men smirk as they surround a boy in the back of a pickup truck. One of them holds the boy’s head with a tight grip on his hair while another mockingly slaps his face. Then, one of them uses a knife to saw the child’s head off and holds it up in the air like a trophy. It is a scene reminiscent of the Islamic State’s snuff videos, except this wasn’t the work of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s men. The murderers were supposed to be the good guys: our allies.

Trump wanted to know why the United States had backed Zenki if its members are extremists. The issue was discussed at length with senior intelligence officials, and no good answers were forthcoming, according to people familiar with the conversations. After learning more worrisome details about the CIA’s ghost war in Syria—including that U.S.-backed rebels had often fought alongside extremists, among them al Qaeda’s arm in the country—the president decided to end the program altogether.

On July 19, the Washington Post broke the news of Trump’s decision: “a move long sought by Russia,” the paper’s headline blared. Politicians from both sides of the aisle quickly howled in protest, claiming that Trump’s decision was a surrender to Vladimir Putin.

There is no doubt that Putin, who has the blood of many Syrian civilians on his hands, was pleased by the move. But that doesn’t mean the rebel aid program was effective or served American interests.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/trump-got-...le/2009045

That's the problem there. Most of those groups are all nuts. Today's allies are tomorrow's terrorist. Before Bin Laden was the #1 US terror target in the world, he was our buddy in Afganastan. We need to stick with Kurds and give them a homeland. They are the only ones that have made much sense to be allied with---and even they need be watched to make sure they don't cause problems with the Turks.