BADR BRIGADES IN SYRIA? OLD NEWS

Took off for the past two weeks or so as I was trying to get ready for the Graduation of my youngest Son. Well, that and honestly there was nothing that earth shattering taking place in the world to warrant me taking the time to write. Did get a few more pages of the book banged out and that is a good thing.

So, what did finally catch my eye to the point I felt compelled to write something this week?
Badr Brigades in Syria? So the Israelis thought that was a news worthy story? I’m not sure why. The idea this group is entering the fight in Syria is new news is off the mark. To some degree, many key members of this organization have been on the ground in Syria for some time now. So, why the story now? Is it really news this group is showing up in Syria? Nope! But, before I address the issue of why they are there, let me touch upon some truths about groups like this one.

Over rated! First and foremost they are overrated. Are they better than the average Joe who had decided to pick up a gun and run around inside of the country once known as Syria? Yes. Yes they are, but don’t misinterpret who they are and what they can do. They are not the modern day version of the Persian Immortals. Honestly, I would take a few female Kurds over them any day of the week. By the way, never…..every…trust the skills of a group that has to show you pictures of themselves wearing all their fancy toys and posing like they are Robo Cop. If you have to show people how “cool” are, then you are most likely less than impressive when the sh…. Hits the fan. Bottom line, the Badr Brigade posers are very much over rated. Have some of them seen hard combat? Yes. Yes, many of them have. The problem is, in that part of the world, anyone over the age of ten has seen hard combat. It’s the new normal in that part of the world. Face it boys of the Badr, you are simply nothing more than a photo op. That leads me to one question. Why the coverage? Why the hype by DEBKA?
Whose idea was it to send this “elite unit” to Syria? Moscow? Nope. Assad? Nope. Tehran’s? Yep. Did Tehran clear this event with Moscow? I don’t know if they needed to. Was it really news to Moscow the Badr bunch was heading into Syria? Did the story even make sense to the folks in Moscow? Did someone in Moscow read this and say, “Badr in Syria??? Ya……so what”? to the Russians, this statement probably ranked right up there with, “ Hezbollah is operating in Syria”! What changed? What made this statement necessary? Are the Israelis worried about something to the point they have to build a bases for more dramatic actions in Syria? Is DEBKA just looking to post something that might sell a few more subscriptions this week? This whole story seems very strange to me.

Yes, there is no rea love story between Moscow and Tehran. Yes, the Iranians are not running down the path of letting the Tsar call all the shots in Syia. Yes, Syria is more important to Iran than it is to Moscow. All of this is true, but a story about the overrated Badr being sent into Syria is just odd. Even if some significant number of their units are being moved into Syria, they will do whatever other unit in Syria has done for the past five years. They will get bogged down. They will get static. They will become just another player in a much larger game.
No the “Immortals” have not shown up in Syria. No this is not some tectonic shift. I’m not sure why this story was put out there, but then again, there simply wasn’t a lot for me to look at this week. Same old, same old has been the rhythm for the past few  weeks.
Venezuela. That is the topic I’m taking on next. That is the one that is flying under the radar, that is, until the Little Fat Man in North Korea pushes the Dragon too far.