Posted: 09/05/2013 at 12:43pm | IP Logged

Are the Rebels in Syria Really Moderate?

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CBN News

Rebel fighters have been battling President Bashar al Assad regime in Syria for years. While some claim the rebels are moderates, others worry the fighters are extremists.

To help understand the situation, CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell spoke with Jonathan Spyer, an analyst with the IDC in Israel.

Who are these rebel forces and what do they stand for? Spyer explained there are actually three rebel groups in Syria, including a small group connected with al Qaeda.

But the largest group, called the Syrian Islamic Liberation Front, could not describe as moderate, despite what some are claiming, Spyer said.

"I would say these are people from a Muslim Brotherhood type outlook," he said.

So what would Syria look like if the rebels gained control? Spyer cited the examples of Hamas-controlled Gaza and the year long "experiment" in Egypt under Muslim Brotherhood governors.

"Those are the examples we should be looking at to learn what it would be like if the Syrian Islamic Liberation Front took over Syria," he said. "We don't need to speculate, we have concrete examples in history right now."

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Source: CBN News