1/8/2017

HowTheMainstreamMediaTurnedAlQaedaIntoAUSAllyInSyria

PublishedonZeroHedge(http://www.zerohedge.com)
Home>HowTheMainstreamMediaTurnedAlQaedaIntoAUSAllyInSyria

HowTheMainstreamMediaTurnedAlQaeda
IntoAUSAllyInSyria
ByTylerDurden
Created01/07/201717:40

[1]
byTylerDurden[1]
Jan7,20175:40PM

[2] [3]

SubmittedbyRaniaKhalekviaTheAntiMedia.org,[4]
TheSyriangovernmentadictatorshipknownforimprisoning,torturinganddisappearingdissidents
iseasytovilify.AndoverthelastfiveyearsofSyriascivilwar,ithascommitteditsshareofatrocities.
Butthereismorethanoneside[5]toeverystory,andUSmediacoveragehasmainlyreflectedone
sidethatoftherebelswithoutregardforaccuracyorbasiccontext.
AstheSyriangovernmentrecapturedEastAleppofromrebelsinrecentweeks,mediaoutletsfrom
acrossthepoliticalspectrumbecamerebelmouthpieces,unquestioninglyrelayingrebelclaimswhile
omittingcrucialdetailsaboutwhotherebelswere.

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[6]
AlmostalwaysoverlookedintheUS(andUK)medianarrativeisthefactthattherebelsinEastAleppo
wereapatchworkofWesternandGulfbackedjihadistgroupsdominatedbyJabhatFatehalSham
(formerlyJabhatalNusra)AlQaedasaffiliateinSyriaalongwithitsally,AhraralSham(Daily
Beast,8/8/16[7] ForeignPolicy,9/1/16[8] ).Thesegroupsareexplicitlyantidemocraticandhavebeen
implicatedinhumanrightsviolations,frommassexecution[9] andchildbeheadings[10] tousingcaged
religiousminorities[11] ashumanshields.
Intheabsenceofanydesiretoevokeapoliticalresponse,USmediawouldsurelyhaveidentifiedEast
AlepposrebelsbythenameofthemostfamousmilitantgroupintheworldAlQaeda.Yetpress
reportsregularlyreferredtothemilitantforcesdominatingEastAlepposimplyasrebels.
WomeninAleppoChooseSuicideOverRape,declaredaheadlineattheDailyBeast(12/12/16[12] ).
ThesourceofthisveryseriousclaimwasAbdullahOthman,amemberofJabhatAlShamiya,orthe
LevantFront[13] ,anumbrellagroupwhosemembershipconsistsofseveraljihadistrebelfactions.Sofar
noevidencehasbeenpresented,atleastnotpublicly,tosubstantiateOthmansclaim.Butthatdidnt
stophisstoryfromspreadinglikewildfireacrosssocialmediaandbeingpickedupbyCommentary
(12/13/16[14] ),Mic(12/16/16[15] ),Elle(12/13/16[16] )andForeignPolicy(12/16/16[17] ),amongothers.
NBCNews(12/13/16[18] )reportedthatscoresofcivilianswereburnedalivebyregimeforces.The
sourceforthisaccusationwasunspecifiedreportsfromArabmedia.TheIndependent(12/17/16[19] )
warnedofhousetohousemurder.ThesourcewasBritishpoliticianDavidMiliband.TheUN(12/13/16
[20] )citedcrediblereportsof82civiliansbeingshotonthespotbyprogovernmentforces.Whilethis
iscertainlyplausible,theUN,whichwasnotonthegroundinEastAleppo,hasyettofollowuponthe
matter.
USmediaalsopromoted[21] accusations[22] madebyselfdescribedmediaactivistsinEastAleppo
warningthattheSyrianregimewasgoingtoslaughterthem.StateDepartmentspokespersonJohn
Kirbycalledthemessagesbraveandpraisedthosewhopostedthemasprovidingindependentthird
partymediacoverage[23] ofthehorrorsinAleppo.
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Butinformationcomingoutofrebelareasisfarfromindependent.Onthecontrary,itistightlycontrolled
bythejihadistgroupsthatcontroltheseareas.Thesegroupsdonottolerateactivism.Theyjail,torture
[24] andsummarilyexecute[25] activists,aswellaslawyers,humanitarianworkers,journalistsand
minorities.Thisshouldraisequestionsaboutanyonepurportingtobeanactivistfromrebelareas.Butin
theWesternpress,itdoesnt,whichiswhyoneofthemostwidelyfeaturedmediapersonalitiesoutof
rebelheldAleppo,BilalAbdulKareem,hasbeenuncriticallypromotedbyCNN(12/16/16[26] )andeven
theusuallyadversarialIntercept(6/30/16[27] ),despiteawellestablishedrecordofpushinghyper
sectarianpropagandaforextremistgroups(AlterNet,12/29/16[28] ).
Ifmediaoutletswerequicktograntlegitimacytorebelaccusations,theyignoredordownplayedrebel
atrocities.
Forexample,whentherebelsburnedseveralbuses(andkilledthedrivers)meanttoevacuatethesick
andinjuredfromtwobesiegedShiitevillagesinIdlib,theNewYorkTimes(12/18/16[29] )buriedthe
detailsoftheincidentdeepinsideinthe19thparagraphofastoryonevacuations.
Reportsthattherebelsshotatcivilians[30] attemptingtofleetogovernmentareasandwithheld[31] food
andhumanitarianaidfromciviliansrarelymadeitintoWesternmediareports.
WhilebothsideshaveaccusedtheotherofcarryingoutmassacresinAleppo,onlyrebelaccusations
receivedwidespreadUSmediacoverage.Buttheonlyevidencetoemergesofarpointstotherebelsas
culprits.AheadoftheirevacuationfromEastAleppo,rebelgroupsreportedlyexecuted[32] anestimated
100Syriansoldierstheywereholdingprisoner,accordingtoprogovernmentforces.Thebodieswere
foundinalocalschool.Despitephotos,corroboratingvideoevidenceandthefactthatrebelshave
carriedoutmasssummaryexecutions[33] ofSyriansoldierstakenprisonerinAleppointhepast,US
mediaoutletsmostlyignoredit.OneofthegroupsallegedtobebehindthekillingsisNouriddeenAl
Zinki,arecipientofUSweapons.(Monthsago,AlZinkifightersvideotapedthemselvesbeheadinga
child[10] .Thegruesomeactwasmetwithashrug[34] bythegroupsWesternbackers.)Russiaalso
reportedfindingmassgraves[35] oftorturedciviliansandboobytrapsduringitssweepofEastAleppo,
whichreceivedlittletonoattention.
Ifnoneofthisweretrue,theloathingthatmanySyriansingovernmentareasexpressfortherebels,
andfortheWesternmediawhoglorifythem,wouldbehardtoexplain.
InNovember,IvisitedgovernmentheldareasofSyria,wheretheoverwhelmingmajority(an
estimated75percent[36] )ofSyrianslive,andIwitnessedasideoftheconflictthatUSmediaoutlets
havealmostentirelyoverlooked.Itsasiftheviewsandwellbeingofsome17millionSyriansdont
matter,simplybecausetheyliveonthegovernmentside.
Thisruleseemstoapplyacrossthemediaspectrum.Aneditoratamajorprogressivepublication
rejectedonthegroundreportingfromgovernmentareas,tellingmeitwasafutilejournalisticendeavor
becausetheSyriangovernmentwatcheseverything,andSyriansaretooterrifiedofthesecretpoliceto
saywhattheyreallythink.
WhileitstruethatSyriansarelimitedintheircapacitytocriticizethegovernment,itdoesntjustify
ignoringthem.Andthesituationonthegroundisntsoblackandwhite.Behindcloseddoorsandin
privateconversations,manySyriansweresharplycriticaloftheAssadregime.Yettheystillsupported
thegovernment,largelyoutofevenstrongeroppositiontothereligiousfundamentalismandbrutalityof
thearmedgroups,whomtheyviewasforeignbackedreligiousfanaticswhohaveinvadedtheircountry
andterrorizedthemandtheirfamilies.
ImstillhauntedbywhatIsawatAlRaziHospitalinwhatwasthengovernmentheldWestAleppo.I
watchedasoneambulanceafteranotherdroppedoffcivilianswoundedbyrebelmortarsfiredinto
residentialneighborhoodsaroundtheclock.Medicalstaffquicklywenttoworkonamanwhosechest
waspiercedbyapieceoftwistedmetal.Afranticwomanlingeredcloseby,shouting,Hestheonlyson
Ihaveleft!Themanwassoonpronounceddeadandthewomancollapsedinagony.
Downacrowdedhall,10yearoldFatehstoodonabloodsmearedfloor,cryingbesideagurneywhere
his15yearoldbrother,Mohammad,waslying.Bloodhadsoakedthroughthebandageonhisleg,but
themedicalstaffwastoobusywithmorelifethreateninginjuriestotakenotice.Theboyswereluckyto
bealive.Theyhadbeenmovingfurnitureoutofthehousewiththeiryoungercousinsearlierintheday
whentheywerestruckbyrebelmortars.Their6yearoldcousin,agirl,wasintheICU.Their4yearold
cousin,aboy,hadbeenkilled.
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Acrossthestreet,grievingfamilieswaitedoutsidethemorguetoidentifythebodiesoftheirrecently
deceasedlovedones.Agroupofsobbingchildrenexplainedtomehowtheyhadwatchedtheirfather
diethatmorningfromthebalconyoftheirapartment.Arebelmortarstruckhimashewasparkinghis
car.Meanwhile,ashellshockedfathertoldmehis10yearoldsonwasshotandkilledbyasniperwhile
fetchingwaterontheroof.
Agriefstrickenwoman,mourningthelossofherhusband,cursedthegovernmentfornothittingthe
rebelsorterrorists,inherwordshardenough.Herfamilymembersagreed,complainingthatthe
Syriangovernmentwasbeingtoosoftonthearmedgroupsthattheyblamedfordestroyingtheircity.
Underneathallthegriefandcallsforrevengewasexhaustion.Afterfiveyearsofwar,thesepeoplewere
tired.IdidntmeetasingleSyrianinthegovernmentareasIvisitedwhohadntlostfriendsandfamily
sincethewarstarted.Buttheirsuffering,withafewminorexceptions,hasbeenlargelydisappeared
fromWesternmedia,probablybecausethepeoplemostresponsibleforitaresupportedbytheWest.
EventhosewhoexpresseddisapprovalofRussiasinvolvementintheircountrytoldmetheyholdthe
USanditsregionalalliesSaudiArabia,QatarandTurkeymostresponsibleforthedisintegrationof
theircountry.
ThesesentimentstotallycontradictoneofUSmediasmostperniciousliesthatUSinactionallowed
thebloodshedinSyriatocontinuewithimpunity.
ManythousandsofpeoplehavebeenkilledinAleppobutWashingtonshrugs,lamentedtheNew
YorkTimes(12/14/16[37] ).TheUnitedStatesinactioninSyriahastransformedourcountryintonothing
otherthanabystandertothegreatestatrocityofourtime,complainedLeonWieseltierinthe
WashingtonPost(12/15/16[38] ).
ButWashingtonhasintervened(FAIR.org,10/1/15[39] )andbydoingso,itprolongedthebloodshed
andempoweredAlQaeda.
Despitebeingwarned[40] abouttheextremistandviolentlysectarianideologythatdominatedthe
oppositionasearlyasNovember2011,theObamaadministrationspent,accordingtotheWashington
Post(6/12/15[41] ),acolossal$1billionayeartrainingandfunnelingweaponstoAlQaedalinked
extremistsinordertoweakentheSyriangovernment.
InwrittentestimonytotheSenateForeignRelationsCommitteeinJune2016,BrettMcGurk,theUS
specialpresidentialenvoyfortheGlobalCoalitiontoCounterIS,warned[42] thatNusraisnowAl
Qaedaslargestformalaffiliateinhistory.AccordingtoUSintelligenceofficials,Nusraisstartingtoplot
attacks[43] againsttheUS.
Inotherwords,theUSgovernmentoutsourceditswaragainsttheSyriangovernmenttoAlQaeda,and
Americanshavenoidea,becausecorporatemediacontinuetopromoteliesaboutObamassocalled
inaction.
ManyUSmediaconsumersmightbeshockedtolearnthattheSyrianuprisingwasneverparticularly
popularinAleppo.Therebels,withhelpfromtheirAmericanbenefactors,invadedandcaptured
Alepposeasternneighborhoodsbyforcein2012.Attimestheylaidsiege[44] toAlepposgovernment
heldareas,cuttingoffaccesstodrinkingwater[45] ,electricityandfood[46] .Americanpoliticianscheered
theterritorialgains.HillaryClinton,thensecretaryofState,expressedhopethattherebelstakingEast
Aleppowouldprovideabase[47] forfurtheractionsbytheopposition.
Withitsgroundforcesalreadyoverstretchedfightinganinsurgencyacrossthecountry,theSyrian
governmentresponded,asitoftenhas,withoverwhelminganddevastatingairpower,whichWestern
leadersroutinelydenounced.Butthecriminalconductoftherebelsfailedtoprovokesimilaroutrage.
Manywhoseneighborhoodswereoccupiedbyrebelforcesfledearlyontogovernmentareasor
neighboringcountries.Theirhomeswerelootedintheirabsenceandturnedintooperatingbases.
ThosewhostayedweresubjectedtostrictinterpretationsofIslamiclawthatclosely[48] resembled[49] the
brutalpracticesimposedbyISIS.
Corporatemediasownaccountsperiodicallyreflectedtheserealities,backwhenWesternjournalists
stillventuredintorebelareas.
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WewaitedandwaitedforAleppotorise,anditdidnt.Wecouldntrelyonthemtodoitforthemselves
sowehadtobringtherevolutiontothem,arebelcommandertold[50] ReutersinJuly2012.Thearticle
wentontonotethatthefighterswerelounginginsideaschooltakenoverbytherebelsasatemporary
baseinanareathatappearedtobecompletelydesertedbyresidents.Fighterswereusinghousesas
basestosleepin.
Around70percentofAleppocityiswiththeregime.Ithasalwaysbeenthatway.Thecountrysideis
withusandthecityiswiththem,confessed[51] anotherrebelcommandertotheGuardianinAugust
2012.
InAleppo,IheardSalafijihadiststalkofslayingtheminorityAlawites,andcallforboththeimmediate
supportofAmerica,anditsimmediatedemise,reported[52] theNewYorkTimesinOctober2012.
Indeed,schools,medicalfacilitiesandresidentialbuildingsweretransformedintomilitarybasesand
shariacourts.TheChildrensHospitalinAleppobecameanotoriousprisonandtorturefacilitywhere
severalWesternhostages,includingjournalistJamesFoley[53] ,whowaslaterbeheadedbytheIslamic
State,wereheld.
Bylate2013,rebelkidnappingsofjournalistsweresorampantthatmajorWesternmediaoutlets
collectivelyurged[54] theSyrianoppositiontoputastoptotheabductions.
Atthesametime,Westerngovernmentspouredmillionsofdollarsintorebelpropagandamade
upofauthenticlookingrebelmediaoutlets[55]andNGOs,liketheWhiteHelmets[56],toglorifythe
armedgroupsandagitateformoreforcefulWesternmilitaryinterventionagainstSyrian
PresidentBasharalAssad.
Nolongerabletotraveltorebelareasforfearofbeingkidnappedorworse,journalistswererelegatedto
coveringthewarfromBeirutandIstanbul,becomingentirelydependentonWesternfundedpropaganda
tofilltheinformationvacuum.
Fallinginlinebehindthegeopoliticalinterestsoftheirgovernments,Westernmediawentabout
whitewashingandromanticizingjihadistgroupsasliberatorsandprotectorsadoredbythe
Syrianslivingunderthem,evenastheirownreporterswerebeingkidnapped[57],ransomedand
evenshot[58]byWesternbackedrebels.
TakeLizSlyoftheWashingtonPost.Ina2013onthegroundreportfromEastAleppo(3/19/13[59] ),
SlydetailsthebrutalityofAlQaedasSyrianaffiliate,whichhadtakenovertheareaandturnedthecitys
EyeHospitalintoitsheadquarters.YetasthegovernmentrecapturedEastAleppo,Slyandher
colleaguesomitted[60] anymentionofAlQaedaamongtherebels,whilepromotingtheclaimsofrebel
activistswhooperateundertheircontrol.

[61]
WhenaUSbackedgovernmentlikeIraqretakesacity,NBC(6/17/16[62])celebratesthevictoryoverISISterrorwhen
anenemystate,Syria,recapturesacity,themilitantgroupitdefeatedAlQaedaisntevenmentionedbyNBC
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(12/14/16[63]).

ThecognitivedissonanceistrulyastoundinginlightofUSmediasfawningcoverageofsimilarmilitary
offensivesincitiescontrolledbyISISinbothSyriaandIraq,whereUSbackedforceshaveemployed
manyofthesametacticscondemnedinAleppo.
IntheSyriancityofManjib,notfarfromAleppo,USbackedgroundforcesimposedacripplingsiege[64]
thatlefttensofthousandsofcivilianshungryasUSairstrikespoundedthecity,killingupto125civilians
[65] inasingleattack.InIraq,theUSalsousedairstrikestodriveISISoutofRamadi[66] andFallujah[67] ,
leavingbehindflattenedneighborhoods[68] thatresembletheruinsofEastAleppo.InFallujah,140
peoplereportedly[69] diedfromlackoffoodandmedicineduringthesiege.
AfterISISwasejectedfromFallujah,NBCNews(6/17/16[62] )rantheheadline:IraqiForcesEnter
CentralFallujah,LiberateKeyAreasfromISIS.Instrikingcontrast,duringAlQaedasremovalfrom
EastAleppo,NBC(12/14/16[63] )declared:AleppoIsFalling.WhatDoesThisMeanForAssad,ISIS
andRussia?
Since9/11,UScorporatemediahaveportrayedAlQaedaasamonstrousorganizationwhose
existencejustifiesaglobalwarwithoutend.Whocouldhavepredictedthatby2016,thesesame
mediaoutletswouldbecomeAlQaedasmostenthusiasticcheerleaders?
AhraralSham AlNusraFront alQaeda AlRaziHospital AlZinki Aleppo Aleppo
offensive Alepposgovernment AntiShi'ism BattleofAleppo ChildrensHospitalinAleppo
CognitiveDissonance DepartmentofState EyeHospital Fateh ForeignRelationsCommittee
GlobalCoalition Iraq Irregularmilitary JabhatalNusra JabhatAlShamiya Levant
Military Mohammad NBC NewYorkTimes None ObamaAdministration Obama
administration Politics Reuters SaudiArabia SyrianCivilWar Syriangovernment
Testimony Turkey U.S.intelligence UnitedNations USgovernment War
SourceURL:http://www.zerohedge.com/news/20170107/howmainstreammediaturnedalqaedausallysyria
Links:
[1]http://www.zerohedge.com/users/tylerdurden
[2]http://www.zerohedge.com/printmail/584277
[3]http://www.zerohedge.com/print/584277
[4]http://theantimedia.org/mainstreammediaalqaedaallysyria/
[5]http://www.newsweek.com/syriapropagandaaleppoassad536003
[6]http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user3303/imageroot/2017/01/03/20170107_syria2.png
[7]http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/08/heroesjihadistswithalqaedalinksbreakassadsiegeofaleppo.html
[8]http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/09/01/alqaedaisgainingstrengthinsyria/
[9]https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/4227/2016/en/
[10]http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/19/usbackedmoderaterebelsbeheadachildnearaleppo.html
[11]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThsH9674kgc
[12]http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/12/lastrebelsinalepposayassadforcesareburningpeoplealive.html
[13]http://carnegiemec.org/diwan/57605?lang=en
[14]https://www.commentarymagazine.com/foreignpolicy/middleeast/syria/thecrimeofthecentury/
[15]https://mic.com/articles/162545/20womeninaleppocommittedsuicidetoavoidrapeheresoneoftheirsuicide
notes#.5uTgeHAUl
[16]http://www.elle.com/culture/careerpolitics/news/a41416/kanyetrumptowerdistraction/
[17]http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/12/16/thecynicalhorrorofassadandaleppo/
[18]http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/alepposchildren/aleppocivilianskilledcompletemeltdownhumanityunn695286
[19]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middleeast/alepposyriaciviliansmassacreassaddavidmilibanda7481241.html
[20]http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55789#.WF68YbYrKfQ
[21]http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/13/middleeast/syriaaleppogoodbyemessages/
[22]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2016/12/13/noplacenowtogosyrianspostdesperatemessages
frombesiegedaleppo/?utm_term=.5cb4df51a33a
[23]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFGuD7Y8BFI
[24]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middleeast/insidealepposyrianactivistsrevealkidnapandtortureathandsof
alnusraextremists10218906.html
[25]https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/07/syriaabductionstortureandsummarykillingsatthehandsofarmed
groups/
[26]http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1612/16/wrn.01.html
[27]https://theintercept.com/2016/06/30/americanjournalistinrebelheldsyriareportsbarelydodgingamissilestrike/
[28]http://www.alternet.org/world/prominentusjournalistsyriaservesmouthpieceviolentextremists
[29]http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/18/world/middleeast/asbusesburnaleppoevacuationisagainimperiled.html?_r=1
[30]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middleeast/aleppocrisislatestrebelassadblameunlackevacuations
a7374081.html
[31]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=&ampv=tkMj5HAs8&ampapp=desktop
[32]https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/formerusbackedrebelgroupbehindeastaleppomassacre/
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