petitepixie

Thanks for doing this, Robert. I currently work with a Syrian American group in the US working on providing medical relief inside as well as internet security for online activists. We've struggled to broaden awareness about what's going on, especially to children, beyond the Syrian American community. We've tried using disturbing images and we've tried keeping it light and not using upsetting images. I was wondering if you could give some insight on why the average American doesn't seem to be paying attention to Syria. How much do you think the media contributes to this? What do you think a group like mine can do to try to reach a new audience?

One other question: what has been your impression of the motivations of the FSA members you've met? One consistent fear I encounter when talking to US officials and the public in general is radical, ideological groups. However, colleagues who have been in and out of Aleppo tell me that they've passed through Jabat al-Nusra checkpoints and that the fighters there had no conception of the group's ideology. They were simply from that town and al-Nusra gave them guns to protect their homes there. Based on your impressions, how ideologically motivated are the FSA fighters you've met?
Thanks again for all your work!

It's likely spillover related; fire indiscriminately towards the opponent very close to the border and this is what happens. Border crossings are one major point of conflict between the regime and opposition right now. It's not likely an explicit attempt to attack targets in Turkey. Though of course it could be; Assad has been attempting to destabilize his neighbors to change the focus. Maybe he hopes to play up the "foreign infiltration" narrative, focusing on Turkey as a channel for Western influence he sees as a threat to a still legitimate Syrian government.

I was just trying to explain some possible reasons for fire on Turkey in a very simple way as requested. I agree that there is definitely foreign involvement of many different players with competing interests. I would also say that at this point each side's ability to shape the narrative is nearly as important as the actual situation on the ground. Would you argue that Assad definitely fired intentionally on Turkish (or foreign but in Turkey) elements? I can certainly see that as a possibility, as I said. I also agree that the situation is likely to get much worse, particularly due to the competing foreign interests now at play.