Retired US general offers plan for Syria
In a sweeping criticism of the administration’s failures in Syria, General David Petraeus has made some recommendations to congress. He calls for the US to establish safe zones for friendly rebels, counter the Syrian government’s barrel bombings, to look into placing ground teams with Iraqi troops to help with air strikes on ISIL targets.
– Not clear how safe zones can be established without US ground troops.
– Halting the barrel bombings can be done in one of two ways: maintaining an aircap preventing Syrian aircraft from using barrel bombs; providing rebels with shoulder-fired weapons to make barrel bombings very costly. The first is impractical, the second entails disseminating weapons to groups we don’t trust.
– Placing ground teams with Iraqi troops has been suggested before by active-duty generals. This would be effective, but it would entail greater risks of death and capture for US troops, and it might make Iraqi troops think that American airpower can do the job.
Petraeus also suggested supporting the Kurds and Sunni militias in northern Iraq that have made some headway near Raqaa.
US-trained troops in Syria hand over weapons to al Qaeda affiliate
In another stunning blow to the US effort in Syria, a second force has crossed onto Syria and promptly handed over its weapons to the al Nusrah Front. The program is a disaster and should be halted promptly.
Human Rights Watch scores Egypt in Sinai
Egyptian forces have leveled homes along the border with Gaza. This will play into the hands of al Qaeda and various tribes who are fighting Egyptian troops in Sinai.
Attacks in China’s restive west
Five police were killed by knife-wirlding assailants in Xinjiang province. There is no information on the identities of the assailants, but Xinjiang province is home to millions of ethnic Uighurs who deeply resent Han Chinese settlers in their homeland. Uighurs, a Muslim people, have conducted similar attacks in several parts of China. There are several hundred Uighurs serving with al Qaeda and ISIL units in Central Asia and the Middle East.