Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — The Muslim Brotherhood-aligned opposition has decided to
open a military wing in an effort to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Syrian National Council said it would open a military office to
ensure the flow of weapons and equipment to the revolt against the Assad
regime. SNC said its new bureau, which could rival that of the Free Syrian
Army, would contain military officers who would serve as liasions to the
rebels.

“In light of the rapid developments on the ground, and the belief that it is important to control armed resistance operations in Syria and support the Free Syrian Army, the SNC has decided to create a military bureau,” SNC said.

In a statement on March 1, SNC said it would acquire weapons for the Free Syrian Army, whose leadership does not support the Brotherhood. SNC was said to have garnered funding and political support from France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States.

So far, both Qatar and Saudi Arabia have called for the arming of the Syrian opposition. Kuwait’s parliament passed a non-binding resolution that supported the supply of weapons to the Sunni revolt as well as severing relations with the Assad regime.

For nearly a year, SNC rejected an armed revolt against Assad, saying it
would increase bloodshed. But over the last two months, the council was said
to have concluded that Assad could only be overthrown by force.

In its statement, the council did not say where the military office
would be located. The statement said it was preparing to set aside funds for
office operations and appealed for military assistance.

“This bureau will include officers and civilians who will be responsible
for following armed resistance operations, organizing their ranks, studying
their needs and managing their funding and operations so as to facilitate
SNC’s political supervision,” the statement said. “It will be free to
seek expertise and assistance as they see fit. A budget will be allocated to
support the bureau.”

  Bashar Assad, Free Syrian Army, Muslim Brotherhood, Saudis, Sunni revolt, Syrian Islamist group — backed by U.S., Syrian National Council, Turkey — to expedite weapons flow to rebels