 AP Photo The logic of the US policy of covertly co-operating with fundamentalist Sunni groups has reached its logical conclusion. There is now "good" al-Qa'ida on our side and "bad" al-Qa'ida fighting on theirs. In Syria, the former operates under the name of the al-Nusra Front, labelled by the US as the Syrian branch al-Qa'ida, and is the main fighting force of the rebel National Coalition. This is recognised by the US, Britain and many others as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. TAGGED: Middle East, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sunni, Shia, Shiite, shiitesRECOMMENDED ARTICLES| Pakistan was created as a South Asian homeland for all Muslims. But the Sheikhs of Saudi Arabia, and the other jihad-sponsoring financiers of the smaller Persian Gulf nations, are Sunnis. The groups they began bankrolling in the... more ›› |
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