Obama has ordered American air attacks on the Al-Nusra Front in Syria. Up to now, that has not been his policy. This anti-Assad outfit is “Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda in Syria, or al-Qaeda in the Levant”. This is a major shift in U.S. policy.
As long as Obama thought that Clinton was going to win, he didn’t take this step because that would not have been her policy. He also didn’t bomb Al-Nusra because it didn’t comport with what his Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, wanted. The policy Obama followed was in deference to those in his administration or its expected Democratic heir whose priority was bringing about the downfall of Assad. They have been willing to look the other way while extremist Muslim groups like Al-Nusra carried the fighting against Assad’s forces.
But now that Trump has won, Obama no longer feels this obligation to Clinton or defensiveness toward Carter. He is also going against the CIA in doing this.
It’s remarkable that for months Obama’s administration has criticized Russia for attacking Al-Nusra forces and now it’s doing the same; and the U.S. for years has supported these extremist Muslim forces that want to dislodge Assad and create a strict Muslim state.
Assad is winning militarily in Syria. Obama sees also the handwriting on the wall, that Assad will eventually turn his forces against Al-Nusra in other western provinces of Syria. Ordering American air power into the fray is designed to give the U.S. some leverage in the politics and shape of Syria that will emerge as Assad consolidates his gains. This is a move that competes with Russian influence.
Addendum: In the back of my mind is also the thought that by this shift Obama is stealing Trump’s thunder.
6:35 pm on November 12, 2016
