Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

US struggling to develop clear picture of Syrian opposition

Details

  • Description

    Foreign policy analyst Michael Singh weighs in

  • Duration 3:25
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Studio B

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Boxers and now Syrian government troops today.

Reportedly have just killed thirty worshippers at a mosque near the border that's according to the Reuters news agency quoting opposition activist -- say Syrian troops and affiliated militiamen.

So once fighting for the president if you will.

Fired automatic weapons at people as they entered the mosque for Ramadan evening prayers once again.

The government's forces opened fire on people in our -- going to church for the high holidays.

Nice right.

Can't independently confirm that of course is -- and anything basically about what journalists in there.

Meanwhile US officials reportedly say the United States is struggling develop a clear understanding of the opposition forces inside Syria sixteen months.

After the Syrian government sort of killing its own people remember we've heard this before.

-- there wasn't through before turnout we've certainly heard it before.

Michael -- is with us now Michael is the managing director of the Washington institute which is the DC think -- -- -- foreign policy in the Middle East.

He served as the assistant secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell -- today he answers questions for us.

So they just mowed down another thirty of them who -- off going to mosque for Ramadan prayers.

And now the United States and others are saying we don't really know much about these rebels.

About the -- astonishing and essentially sixteen months into this conflict -- you and I've been talking about this off and on as this has been going on.

The need to develop a sense of who the opposition is who we want to work with.

And who we don't -- -- -- -- you know frankly ship it takes less time to.

It took me less time to propose marriage my wife that is taking us to get to know the Syrian opposition here and and you wonder if this is not just a convenient excuse to not do anything.

What we haven't needed excuses not to do anything thus far why don't we certainly need excuses to do nothing.

Well you know it's it's I think -- the fact that again US officials look at this.

They don't want to intervene yet they recognize the sort of strategic importance of this.

And so word you hear what you hear is sort of a model that yet we understand it's important.

But maybe we don't know what to work -- and so forth.

While the same time I think you see that Iran is making threats to get involve UCB Arab states potentially getting involved.

And this thing -- I think could really assertive side go past our ability to influence it if we don't get a little bit more active -- what's happening there.

Is it true that these that these rebel forces are still gaining more ground.

Taking more areas of the capital there and and really putting down in some ways the regime.

Well it does seem -- that the opposition actually surprisingly so is able to hold ground is able to make advances against the regime's troops.

We saw for example this bombing in Damascus which we talked about a few days ago which suggests a level of penetration of government security forces by the opposition.

So certainly these guys have shown more capability.

Then perhaps -- suspected.

-- but it looks like they've been doing it largely without much assistance from the outside world perhaps some assistance from some states in the region.

It but they have gotten some some of some weapons and they've gotten some cover right we -- in equipment right.

Well said it's very difficult to know exactly what has happened I didn't think I think what we're hearing now is that US.

US officials have been more involved in this over the past few weeks.

But again it's been going on for sixteen or seventeen months ships that suggests that.

Only now are we perhaps getting more involved in what's happening there weren't Michael -- always good to talk to thanks Michael thanks --

Load More