Should NATO create a Free Syrian Army from the refugees?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 10:21:14 -0400

Should NATO recruit/train a Free Syrian Army using the refugees as the base?

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 20 at 2015 10:21 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 10:21:58 -0400

Sadly those refugees are going to end up elsewhere

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 10:38 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 10:38:49 -0400

NATO sounds like a code word for USA in that scenario.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 11:31 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:31:05 -0400

Despite US training, Iraqi military can 'barely' defend itself. I see this as a no win situation.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Sep 20 at 2015 11:46 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:46:38 -0400

If they aren't willing to fight for themselves, why should anyone else fight for them?

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Sep 20 at 2015 11:48 AM

SGT Jerrold Pesz — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:48:45 -0400

No. Those people would be as likely to end up fighting us as they are Assad and doing it with our weapons. Our attempts to train people in Iraq and Afghanistan have been miserable failures and I don't see that we would do any better in Syria. Besides that I am not sure that we are on the right side. Assad is not a threat to us and Obama's buddies in the Muslim Brotherhood, etc. are.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 20 at 2015 12:45 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 12:45:03 -0400

It depends on what ideology is most important to the refugees.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 12:48 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 12:48:08 -0400

Could definitely be done, but a whole lot of screening would need to take place. I tentatively support the idea.

Response by LTC Marc King made Sep 23 at 2015 4:15 PM

LTC Marc King — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 16:15:12 -0400

Here is the deal -- there is no recruiting here this is mandatory conscription. The news shows a significant number of these refugees are men between 18 and 55 who should be fighting to keep their homes and not running away. Train them, equip them and if necessary lead them right back to Syria to fight. The women, children and old men can stay in Europe and the US but a condition for this is the formation of battalions of men who will return to the fight to reclaim their homes. that's the offer otherwise live like animals in the camps in Europe and stay out of my country. Fight for it or suffer the consequences. This is doable and the US needs to make this a NATO priority now.
"Give a man a fish and he eats for a day -- teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." Make them earn it!

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Sep 24 at 2015 8:17 AM

1LT William Clardy — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:17:28 -0400

You must really hate Syrians, MAJ Private RallyPoint Member.

When it comes to unity of command, NATO at its heart remains a committee, and the best working definition of a committee can be found here (down near the bottom of the list):

http://www.angelfire.com/or/sociologyshop/lazlong.html#inter2

Notebooks of Lazarus Long

The following "aphorisms" come from the "Notebooks of Lazarus Long" in Robert Heinlein's 1973 novel, Time Enough for Love. These notebooks are called "Intermission" (pp. 240-251) and "Second Intermission" (pp. 346-353) and are full of pithy insights and opinions of Lazarus Long, the central character in this classic science fiction novel. Some of the aphorisms can be readily agreed with...while others might provoke disagreement. Yet, all of...

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Sep 24 at 2015 12:11 PM

SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 12:11:10 -0400

You mean another ISIS?

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 12:52 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 12:52:10 -0400

Yes

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 24 at 2015 1:38 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:38:44 -0400

I think Syria is worthless.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Sep 25 at 2015 11:48 AM

Capt Richard I P. — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 11:48:39 -0400

Isn't there already a Free Syrian Army or two?

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2015 12:06 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 12:06:45 -0500

Just support the Kurd and ISIS will be good. If Turkey don't start bombing the Kurd... lol

Response by PO1 Bill Adams made Nov 19 at 2015 5:05 PM

PO1 Bill Adams — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 17:05:25 -0500

Brilliant Idea!
But the majority of the refugees are military-age young men, who have already deserted their country, and apparently their women and children. I doubt there's any fight in them.
Still worth a try.

Response by SSG Todd Halverson made Nov 19 at 2015 5:09 PM

SSG Todd Halverson — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 17:09:31 -0500

Nope, they do not want to fight, they want to run away and try and force their culture on others.
Would be less effective as the US's attempt. NATO has no clue on how to train a fighting force.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 25 at 2015 8:11 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 20:11:59 -0500

I think it will be difficult to create an army when all eyes are on that contract and it is weapons free.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 25 at 2015 8:39 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 20:39:27 -0500

Once you have an army or group of people on the run, it is infinitely difficult to turn them around.