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To U.S. Allies, Al-Qaeda Affiliate in Syria Becomes the Lesser Evil
(Wall Street Journal) Yaroslav Trofimov - The three main forces on the ground today in Syria are the Assad regime, Islamic State and an Islamist rebel alliance in which the Nusra Front - an al-Qaeda affiliate designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and UN - plays a major role. As the Assad regime wobbles and Islamic State gains ground in both Syria and Iraq, some of America's regional allies and even some Western officials argue that reaching out to the more pragmatic Nusra is the only rational choice left for the international community. In recent months, Saudi Arabia's new King Salman has moved to work much more closely with Turkey and Qatar in supporting the Islamist-dominated rebel alliance that includes Nusra. The dilemma facing policymakers is heightened by continued reports of atrocities committed by Nusra, including the killing on Wednesday of more than 20 Druse villagers by a local commander.