Putin's bombshell delivered together with missile attack on ISIS: Bashar al-Assad should team up with the US-created "Free Syrian Army," and Russia's Foreign Ministry has already been working on this

Putin used the occasion of Russia's today missile attack on ISIS for nothing smaller than to express his support and approval for French Minister Hollande's idea of "uniting the Free Syrian Army" with Syrian president Assad and the Syrian Syrian Arab Army​. Putin went to call the "Free Syrian Army," which was always hardly more than a front and cover for al Qaeda brigades and al Qaeda allies, a "part of the HEALTHY opposition."

Allying Bashar al-Assad with the Free Syrian Army would, according to Putin, "help pave the way to a future political settlement in Syria." In presenting this bombshell inside the wrap of Russia's cruise missile attack on ISIS, Putin also chose to falsely claim that "we do not know yet where this army is and WHO heads it."

Here is Putin's statement from his own official presidential site:

Putin: "We realize that conflicts of this kind must end in a political settlement. I discussed this matter just this morning with the Russian Foreign Minister. During my recent visit to Paris, the President of France, Mr Hollande, voiced an interesting idea that he thought is worth a try, namely, to have President Assad’s government troops join forces with the Free Syrian Army. True, we do not know yet where this army is and who heads it, but if we take the view that these people are part of the healthy opposition, if it were possible to have them join in the fight against terrorist organizations such as ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and others, this would help pave the way to a future political settlement in Syria.

 http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50458


On the better updated and right now fuller Russian version of Putin's official state, the transcript of his statement further adds these two paragraphs--note Putin's statement that indicates that Lavrov has already been trying to make Syrian President Assad embrace the "Free Syrian Army" served up by Hollande and received by Putin as "Syria's healthy opposition":

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue these efforts [trying to ally the FSA with the SAA], what I mean is that we are already in touch with almost all the opposition forces, but I ask you too to support these efforts of the Russian Foreign Ministry through the channels with our partners. This is the first thing.

Second. We need to continue to work with our foreign partners, because, without their participation, without the participation of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United States, Iran, Iraq and the neighboring countries, of course, the job would hardly be properly organized. "

"Вместе с тем мы понимаем, что конфликты подобного рода должны заканчиваться решением политических вопросов. Сегодня с утра я ещё раз говорил на эту тему с Министром иностранных дел Российской Федерации. В ходе последнего визита в Париж Президент Франции господин Олланд высказал интересную идею, согласно которой можно было бы, по его мнению, попробовать, во всяком случае, объединить усилия правительственных войск, армии Президента Асада , и так называемой Свободной сирийской армии. Правда, мы пока не знаем, где она и кто её возглавляет. Но если исходить из того, что это боевое крыло так называемой здоровой части оппозиции, то если бы удалось объединить их усилия в борьбе против общего врага, против террористических организаций: ИГИЛ, «Джабхат-ан-Нусра» и иже с ними, – то тогда это создало бы хорошие предпосылки для дальнейшего политического урегулирования в Сирии.

И Министерство иностранных дел будет продолжать эти усилия – имею в виду, что мы и так находимся в контакте практически со всеми оппозиционными силами, но я прошу и Вас тоже по партнёрским каналам эти усилия МИДа России поддержать. Это первое.

Второе. Нужно продолжить работу с нашими иностранными партнёрами, потому что без их участия: без участия Саудовской Аравии, Турции, Соединённых Штатов Америки, Ирана, Ирака и соседних государств – конечно, эту работу должным образом вряд ли удастся организовать." http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/50458

Interesting thing, today Putin, meeting Shoigu, called on Syria's President Assad and the "Free Syrian Army" to become "allies." Just two days ago, the same "Free Syrian Army" declared war on Russia over bombing the FSA's allies, ISIS and al Qaeda. 

 

 

It is possible that Putin's assistants or FSB might have forgotten to keep Russian President duly informed. In fact, Putin did also claim today that although he believes the Syrian government should join forces with the FSA, he (Putin) does not know that much about them except for what Hollande told him, "but [I] take that they are part of the healthy opposition." Putin's political and strategic brilliance is impeccable.