'Hands off Al-Qaeda!' US Hawks Find Themselves Protecting Terrorists

Al-Qaeda and its numerous imitators have suddenly turned into Washington's allies, while the US party of war is blaming Russia for bombing the "wrong" terrorists, American author Justin Raimondo notes.

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump nailed it when he asked why Washington should be concerned about fighting the terrorists in Syria if Putin is willing to take on the job, American author and Antiwar.com editorial director Justin Raimondo remarks, adding that this is the question average Americans are also asking themselves.

Meanwhile, Washington and its subservient media are up in arms about Russia's involvement in Syria.

"As Russian fighter jets target al-Qaeda and ISIS [ISIL] in Syria, the Western media is up in arms — and in denial. They deny the Russians are taking on ISIS — and they are indignant that Putin is targeting al-Qaeda, which is almost never referred to by its actual name, but is instead described as 'al-Nusra,' or the more inclusive 'Army of Conquest,' which are alternate names for the heirs of Osama bin Laden," Raimondo narrated in his article "War Party Hates Putin — Loves al-Qaeda."

Remarkably, America's left and right have recently teamed up to wage an information war against Russia and its leadership. A bipartisan chorus is claiming that Russia is not really attacking Islamic State, but targeting "non-ISIL" rebels.

There is still a lot of confusion surrounding these "moderate" fighters. According to the Pentagon only sixty "vetted" fighters were sent to Syria to fight both Syrian government forces and ISIL. However, later US military officials admitted that their "pet" insurgents betrayed Washington and handed their weapons to al-Qaeda, the journalist reminded.

"So a handful of 'vetted' fighters suddenly turn into an entire armed force," Raimondo noted with unconcealed sarcasm, adding that "the lies are coming at us so fast and thick in the first 24 hours of the Russian strikes that we face a veritable blizzard of obfuscation."

DoD "doesn't know" if CIA is backing al-Qaeda fighters in Syria or not: http://t.co/wIYuPTMBmT pic.twitter.com/zP5aYyxt45

— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) 2 октября 2015

The fact of the matter is that there are no "moderates" in Syria — "they're all jihadists who want to impose Sharia law, drive out Christians, Alawites, and other minority groups, and set up an Islamic dictatorship," the journalist stressed.

The following have now bombed Syria Nice bombs: US, Israel, Turkey, France, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Canada, Australia Horrid bombs: Russia

— Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) 2 октября 2015

Incredible as it may seem, Washington warmongers have now sided with al-Qaeda, branding Russia as a new substantial "threat."

"Osama bin Laden is dead, but Vladimir Putin is very much alive, and a War Party in search of a new foreign threat has found it in the Russian leader, which is why we see all the usual warmongers marching around the Twitterverse chanting 'Hands off al-Qaeda!'" Raimondo underscored.

The reason behind such inexplicable behavior is that US war hawks are much more interested in toppling Bashar al-Assad than in settling the Syrian conflict. The Russians have upset "this little applecart," prompting vocal dissatisfaction in the White House.

"The cloud of propaganda hovering over events in Syria gets thicker by the minute, but it's possible to see the reality of what's occurring if we remember one thing: our former enemies — al-Qaeda and its imitators — are now Washington's allies. However, we have to ask, as Putin did at the UN: "Who's playing who here?" the journalist concluded.