Thread by @aaronjmate

1/ David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst on Syria & author of "Damascus Station", a new spy thriller drawing on his experience.

We did a long interview that I think upends conventional narratives around the 10-year Syria war. thegrayzone.com/2021/11/09/fmr…

Some highlights:

2/ I asked ex-CIA analyst David McCloskey if there was any debate over the fact that, as Jake Sullivan told Hillary Clinton in Feb 2012, "Al Qaeda is on our side in Syria." Heavy US weaponry even ended up in AQ's hands.

Were there any misgivings about siding with Al Qaeda?

3/ Ex-CIA analyst David McCloskey: the US effectively siding with Al Qaeda in Syria was "a tremendously problematic aspect of the conflict."

4/ Ex-CIA analyst David McCloskey: "I think there’s an understanding that al-Qaeda affiliated groups and Salafi jihadist groups were the primary engine of the insurgency."

5/
AM: "Why is it preferable to continue to fuel an al-Qaeda dominated insurgency than just leave Syria alone and let Syrians handle their own government?"

Ex-CIA analyst David McCloskey: "Yeah, well, I’m not sure I would disagree with that statement."

6/ I also asked ex-CIAer David McCloskey about chemical weapons in Syria, & whether he's followed the OPCW cover-up.

He says he thinks that Syria is guilty of CW attacks, but also said that for insurgents, "there would be plenty of reason to try to frame the Syrian government."

7/ Full interview, with transcript: thegrayzone.com/2021/11/09/fmr…