-
A New Identity for Middle East Christians
July 18, 2012 | 39 comments
-
Iraqi Kurdistan Without Blinders
March 22, 2012 | 32 comments
Special Report
Arming the Free Syrian Army
It’s been a slow go, in a situation that recalls the Lebanese Civil War.
In many modern wars, small-arms have been at the forefront of most operations. When taking on enemies of much greater size and scope, individually wielded weapons are often all that stands between survival and being crushed. The supply, acquisition, and types of arms used by armed forces are all vital pieces to any conflict. This fact has never been more prescient than in Syria. Almost a year after Syrian rebels took-up arms against dictator Bashar al-Assad, the disjointed rebel force that makes up the Free Syrian Army (FSA) is facing many armament difficulties.
Originally created to protect peaceful demonstrators against the Assad regime, the FSA has morphed into the anti-Assad guerrilla insurgent force. It is obvious that Assad and his supporters are in no way pro-American, yet the FSA also has a number of members who would also not lend themselves to a future pro-American Syria. For the time being, both sides are locked in a fight to the death.
As a result (as an objective outside observer) it’s necessary to review the prospects for FSA military success against the regime.
On a February trip to Syria, analyst Jonathan Spyer, observed: “The contrast between the determined self-belief of the FSA fighters and the obvious inadequacy of their AK-47s and RPG-7s in the face of regime armor, artillery and helicopters was obvious even then.”
This “inadequacy” is multiplied by other problems affecting the FSA’s arms supply network. Normally, supply of small arms for the group has come from private arms dealers and from what defectors could pilfer from Assad’s army’s stocks. Unfortunately for the FSA, central command for these units is at best a fantasy and a direct weapons supply is something their commanders can only dream about.
In this way the FSA can be compared to the Lebanese militias of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). The more effective militias eventually went so far as to standardize the calibers and types of weapons used. Naturally, the standardization of ammunition types and small-arms made supply and maintenance many times better.
In the early days of the Lebanese Civil War, Christian forces fighting stronger Palestinian, leftist, and other groups, had a smattering of antiquated and varied arms — some from Israel, others from Romania, some acquired from the Lebanese Army. Many were Soviet weapons bought from the overflowing stocks of Christian’s Palestinian foes.
In 1977, when these disparate Christian militias were placed under a more unified leadership and organizational structure, they became the Lebanese Forces (LF), resulting in marked changes. With more centralization, a more coherent fighting force was developed. By the early 1980s, the varied and dissimilar arms collection was replaced by a more uniform composition of Soviet bloc and Western arms in easily accessible calibers. It soon became common to associate the American made M16 rifle with the fighters of the LF.
Thus far, the FSA is in no position to attempt any standardization measures.
The random collection of arms also drew the attention of the FSA’s enemies. During one pro-Assad propaganda report, the ubiquitous German Heckler and Koch G3 rifle — used by over 60 countries, with copies manufactured in 15 countries — was claimed by Syrian TV to be an “Israeli weapon,” along with a number of hunting shotguns, and various AK-47 style rifles produced in eastern Europe.
While no definitive assessment can be made without looking at the weapon’s serial number, it is likely that the G3 rifle featured in the report actually originated from Lebanon (linked is a shot of the Lebanese Internal Security forces brandishing the rifle).
Even though Syria’s Assad backers distort where the varied FSA’s weapons originate, there is an interesting, albeit isolated, example of Israeli weaponry finding its way into FSA stocks. In a May Al Jazeera report, a Free Syrian Army fighter is shown with what appears to be the Belgian FN FAL. This weapon, another example of a rifle one can find around the world, was actually an Israeli produced copy.
In the late 1970s, Israel shipped the rifle to Lebanese Christian groups. Due to its wooden forearm and buttstock, Christian militias dubbed the rifle, “FAL-Hashab” (Wooden FAL). In fact, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the same rifle fired on Syrian soldiers and their allies in Lebanon 30 years ago.
The fact this weapon is being utilized further reinforces the fact that the FSA is not only searching high and low for any weaponry they can gain, but is actively engaging arms dealers in Lebanon.
For the FSA the importance of the Lebanese arms market highlights their dire straits. According to an MSNBC report, “rebels are determined to obtain these weapons at all cost, even as some dealers say they’re forbidden to sell to rebels.” Since the uprising began and then took an armed approach, prices for weapons have skyrocketed. In 2010, a year before the Syrian uprising, one Lebanese arms dealer told NOW Lebanon that a Glock handgun would be “priced at about $2,000.” Today in the United States, a new full-sized Glock 17 pistol costs around $500.
About the Author
Phillip Smyth is a journalist and researcher specializing in Middle Eastern affairs. He travels regularly to the region. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillipSmyth.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (43) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Phillip Smyth
More Articles From Special Report
http://spectator.org/archives/2012/06/12/arming-the-free-syrian-army
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 7:32AM
The REASON that the FSA isn't being supplied with Arms is because Hama's Deliveror - Abu Hussain - (the Super Christian, named after Mohammed's horse) doesn't wish it.
He has crafted a Master Plan of not only ACTION (Egypt & Libya) but INACTION as well. (Iran & Syria)
When The Muslim Brotherhood ran Riot in Tahir Square, the President who knows more about Judaism than anybody, threw our Ally - Mubarek - under the bus. See how they Burn the last Christian Churches in Egypt as they did in Iran. See how they Kill the Kopts as The One does nothing, SAYS NOTHING, yet sends American Forces to Africa to hunt down CHRISTIAN Fighters, engaged in battle against Muslims.
When the people of Iran took to the Streets, for Freedom, and Liberty, and a Better Life, Abu stressed America's NEW PATH of Non Interference in other Countries' internal affairs. America doesn't "MEDDLE" anymore. (Honduras)
Khaddafi, who wasn't bothering anybody, was next. All of a sudden, MEDDLING was back on the Menu. Standing at the back of the room he led an International Armada in a Holy War against a guy wearing Lipstick and Mascara, with the end result being that ONE MORE COUNTRY joined the Ranks of JIHAD, against Israel and the West.
Flash FOREWARD to the Present.
The Arab League came up with a Plan to ARM the Syrian Resistance. But, it was VETOED by Obama. Since when does the Muslim Arab League take Orders from a "Christian" Infidel. Why Libya, but not Syria? Why Egypt, but not Iran?
Read your Bible.
Brooksifier | 6.12.12 @ 9:53AM
"Khaddafi, who wasn't bothering anybody"
Poor thing, he only threatened to take revenge on greasy rats and drug fueled mice who happened to be his subjects (victims). Poor dumb thing...
Occam's Tool| 6.12.12 @ 11:17AM
Khaddafi had actually come to an useful supportive agreement with the USA. His reward for good behavior was abandonment, as was Mubarak's.
What is the point of being a friend of the USA?
Occam's Tool| 6.12.12 @ 1:51PM
That last is a rhetorical question, of course. But there is NO point in being Obama's friend; he only respects those who defy him.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 3:54PM
There are NO ALLIES that Trust us, and NO ENEMIES that Fear us.
How's that working out?
Bob K| 6.12.12 @ 7:52AM
Mr. Smyth describes himself as an "objective outside observer."
Tell us another one, Mr. Smyth!
c. j. acworth| 6.12.12 @ 8:44AM
I must say that this article surprised me. I always thought that the AK-47 and its variants were plentiful and dirt cheap, as it has been the most widely produced military small arm ever. But as to whether or not to arm the rebels, I say stay out of it. I don't see any good coming out of this so-called Arab Spring.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 3:56PM
Shouldn't you be at Appleby's house, holding her yarn?
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 9:33AM
I don't know where they find these idiots, or who is paying for them.
There is not going to be a "pro-America" Syria, no matter who wins. As for the "peaceful demonstrators" aren't these the same folks killing and expelling Christians? Who massacred a bunch of Alawites and tried to blame it on the Syrian Government?
Since the choice seems to be between a bloodthirsty, corrupt secular dictator and a bloodthirsty, corrupt theocratic regime, I suggest we help the dictator.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 3:59PM
What's your point?
Any time we gat an excuse to KILL one of these MFers, we should take it.
One Bullet, in the 30's, could'ld have prevented WWII, and the Holocaust.
One Cruise Missile could send this POS to Hell, with his old man.
What's the problem?
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 4:46PM
True, but if they're killing each other for us, shouldn't we just sit back and pop popcorn?
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 6:51PM
If we ARM the Opposition?
Think of how many MORE of these SCUMBAGS will be killed.
I'm just saying.
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 8:30PM
That's treasure. They're not worth it.
Besides, they're Moslems. Doesn't matter if they run out of ammo, they won't stop fighting.
John786| 6.12.12 @ 9:46AM
This is rapidly descending unfortunately into a civil war. Only very large defections from the Syrian army can avert a prolonged conflict. The assad regime will fall: the alawites interest lies in supporting the opposition. I pray that the FSA can get at least a few high ranking alawite generals on their side. Otherwise Sunnis will be drawn in from everywhere into an internecine conflict that benefits no one but the Islamophobes.
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 10:05AM
The Alawites interest lie with the opposition? I'm sure the Alawites massacred last week by the "freedom fighters" would agree with you.
Personally, I think a civil war and civil disorder is a net gain for everybody but the Syrians.
Bob K| 6.12.12 @ 10:37AM
The Syrian rebels are supported, funded and backed by the Muslim Brotherhood as they have always been.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrar.....rhood.html
It is curious that Mr. Smyth does not mention this because it is probably one of the major reasons that the rebels have had troubles in obtaining the arms they need, not to say want.
No one who has power and/or interests in the area, with the possible exception of Saudi Arabia, wants to see a group indebted to the Brotherhood armed to the teeth and in control of Syria! That also includes fellow Sunni's who do not share the Brotherhoods objectives of Jihad as the way and Quran as the law!
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 11:45AM
Personally, I think Mr. Smyth is probably a paid tool of the Muslim Botherhood (not a misspelling).
Occam's Tool| 6.12.12 @ 11:11AM
Well, if John786 wants Assad to fall, I suppose we should support the rebels.
Personally, both sides should keep killing each other until no one is left.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 6:52PM
If we ARM the Opposition?
Think of how many MORE of these SCUMBAGS will be killed.
I'm just saying.
Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 6.13.12 @ 5:38PM
Actually your thoughts on the matter Occam are more pragmatic than most. I still think you're an Arab hating zionist tool. At least your honest about wanting all Syrians to kill each other. At least your not a neo-con blowhard like John McCain who pretends Americans have some humanitarian obligation to support the Sunni Islamist rebellion knowing full well that my fellow Orthodox Christians in Syria will face forced expulsion from the nation if not a firing squad if the Sunni opposition wins.
Occam's Tool| 6.12.12 @ 11:13AM
Actually, we should stay out of this one pretty much. Both sides are scum, and if Assad is overturned, the alternative will be worse. But, BOTH SIDES ARE SUBHUMAN VERMIN WHO DESERVE TO DIE.
John786| 6.12.12 @ 11:18AM
A very nuanced ( not) response as usual Señora Occam. I see you as a natural Assad supporter: killing Muslims is what you have in common.
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 11:47AM
Its sort of like the Eastern Front in WWII - dead Nazi and dead Commies - everbody wins!
Moslems killing Moslems? What's not to like?
Occam's Tool| 6.12.12 @ 1:50PM
No. I just note that both sides are vermin who do this:
"By F. Brinley Bruton, msnbc.com
Children were slaughtered, tortured, sexually attacked and used as human shields by pro-government Syrian forces, according to a damning United Nations report released late on Monday.
"Children were victims of killing and maiming, arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, by the Syrian Armed Forces, the intelligence forces, and the Shabbiha militia," the U.N.'s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy said in a release issued along with the report. "
Hard to choose when both sides are Muslim bloodthirsty child murdering and raping vermin like you support, 786. Of course, for you, I only know that you SUPPORT child rapists and murderers; I have no idea if you do the same yourself; I only know that your religion encourages it.
By the way, puss puss, my WIFE is Senora. You may refer to me as "Herr Doktor." Learn your Espanol, Mohammedan swine.
John786| 6.12.12 @ 3:25PM
You really are a very unhinged person mr Occam. Like all extremists you probably seek out material that feeds your warped thinking: are you a Brevic in the making? Islam has no aesthetic equall on this earth: As the last reminder of Monotheism to humanity. But in the interest peace and humanity I will pray for your guidance and good health.
aware| 6.12.12 @ 4:39PM
How's the re-education camp work going, Herr Doktor? It was close but you are a bigger genocidal maniac than Commissar TLP.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 6:54PM
There's nothing "Genocidal" about cutting out a CANCER.
Dumb@ss.
aware| 6.13.12 @ 6:13AM
Last time I looked we have a volunteer army, so why don't you put your fat ass where your windbag mouth is and sign up?
Then you can have all the "cancer" surgery you can stand.
TLP| 6.13.12 @ 6:30PM
I already did, dumbass.
loulou| 6.12.12 @ 6:28PM
"killing Muslims is what you have in common..."
Just what is your point?
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 4:01PM
The Russians are sending Helicopter Gun Ships to Assad.
That's a good enough reason to ARM the Opposition, for me.
Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 6.13.12 @ 5:41PM
The Russians are on the right side of the conflict as is Iran and China.
Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 6.13.12 @ 5:40PM
Didn't Hitler call your people "SUBHUMAN VERMIN WHO DESERVE TO DIE"?
RAM| 6.12.12 @ 11:27AM
It's not easy to pick which set of bad guys to arm.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 4:03PM
One of them is I'mahandajob's best buddy.
The other ones?
Not so much.
THINK.
J.C.Eaton| 6.12.12 @ 12:36PM
Philip: hold a bake-sale! I'll even give you the apothegm:"Bullets for Bashir-Bashers". Arm whoever you want; but believe me bucko, neither side is good for me or mine.
cicero| 6.12.12 @ 4:01PM
We have no business in this one at all. Forget all the talk about humanitarian crises. Islam is, in its current incarnation, a humanitarial crisis. This is merely another standard regime change among our friends in the Middle East. It has been going on since 632, or thereabouts.
Perhaps we can do some global good by disbanding our entire State Department, and resort to temporary roving diplomats, sent from place to place as needed. Since our foreign policy has b een run b y incompetents or worse since at least WW II, we couldn't do any worse.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 4:06PM
One of them is I'mahandajob's best buddy.
The other ones?
Not so much.
p.s. - This is not a personal attack.
I like almost everything you write.
I just don't happen to agree with you, this time.
Capiche?
THINK.
cicero| 6.12.12 @ 5:01PM
TLP, If we agreed all the time, that would mean that at least one of us is not thinking. The problem I have with picking sides in these ME civil wars, is that we really don't know who the players are. Our State department is completely incompetent, and our CIA runs a close second to them in that department. A review of the history of Islam indicates that this is how they have always affected regime change. We have always been gullible enough to think that we set the agenda. Unless we know the players, we are better served by backing neither, and recognizing whoever wins. At that point, we can use our economic leverage. Instead, we throw around money indiscriminately, and expect whoever gets it (for free, without effort) will like us. That usually ends up making us look like fools when the recipients of our largesse thumb their noses at us.
TLP| 6.12.12 @ 6:57PM
"I like ALMOST everything you write."
Picking sides is easy.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
It's really that simple.
I still love ya, buddy.
Harry the Horrible| 6.12.12 @ 8:36PM
I agree with Cicero.
State doesn't have a clue (when did they ever?). Judging from the response in Europe, neither do the Euroweenies.
There is nothing to be gained by taking sides. One side is a bloodthirsty corrupt dictator. The other is a bloodthirsty corrupt Moslem Brotherhood surrogate. Both are going hate us no matter what we do.
Pop popcorn and let them kill each other.
Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 6.13.12 @ 5:25PM
God willing the Western/Wahhabist/Zionist backed FSA will be defeated and peace will return to Syria. However if the US, UK, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar suceed in toppling Assad then there will be fierce persecution and maybe even ethnic cleansing of the nation's minorities including Syria's Christian community, Shia Alawites, Druze and Kurds. Lets make no bones about what's happening in Syria right now where the U.S., U.K. and Israel are practically allied with Al Qaeda. Right now the U.S. and Israel are the biggest sponsors of terrorism throughout the Middle East.