The Tactics That Are Being Used By Syria's Rebels To Draw In More Recruits Is Raising Questions

Syrian rebels listened to their commander before leaving for fighting in Aleppo in August. Bryan Denton for The New York Times

Cajoling, Drugging And More As Rebels Try To Draw Defectors -- New York Times

ANTAKYA, Turkey — For months, the disparate militias known as the Free Syrian Army relied on defections from the Syrian military to lead a credible if halting challenge to the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Every day seemed to bring word of new recruits. Soldiers fled in packs, or officers stole across a border, lifting the rebels’ morale while swelling their ranks.

But now opposition commanders say defections have slowed to a trickle. Some commanders have given up trying to entice defectors, and others have resorted to more desperate measures: cajoling, duping, threatening and even drugging and kidnapping military men to get them to change sides, or at least stay out of the fight. Without defections, they say, the opposition cannot hope to grow, never mind prevail.

“We use means only used by the devil,” said Ahmed Qunatri, a rebel commander in northern Syria who defected from the Republican Guard.

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My Comment: The Syrian rebels are not only having problems drawing in more defectors .... but also keeping the ones that they have.