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| Rebel Groups in Syria Make Framework for Military | Rebel Groups in Syria Make Framework for Military |
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| ANTALYA, Turkey — Military commanders of the main Free Syrian Army units from all over Syria agreed Friday to a unified command structure, bowing to intense pressure from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who the fighters said promised more advanced weapons once a central military council was in place. | ANTALYA, Turkey — Military commanders of the main Free Syrian Army units from all over Syria agreed Friday to a unified command structure, bowing to intense pressure from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who the fighters said promised more advanced weapons once a central military council was in place. |
| The agreement, the product of three days of intensive talks among more than 260 rebel commanders, was a marked departure from previous attempts because it was built strictly around commanders from inside Syria. | The agreement, the product of three days of intensive talks among more than 260 rebel commanders, was a marked departure from previous attempts because it was built strictly around commanders from inside Syria. |
| Following the terms of the pact, the participants elected a 30-member Supreme Military Council, which then selected the chief of staff, Gen. Salim Idriss, by consensus. Previous attempts at unification all foundered on disagreements over the structure, tensions between officers inside and outside the country and the failure of donors to provide the weapons they promised. | Following the terms of the pact, the participants elected a 30-member Supreme Military Council, which then selected the chief of staff, Gen. Salim Idriss, by consensus. Previous attempts at unification all foundered on disagreements over the structure, tensions between officers inside and outside the country and the failure of donors to provide the weapons they promised. |
| But analysts warned that despite the atmosphere of comity, the agreement could still come unglued — fierce arguments from the meeting occasionally overflowed into the marble lobby of a luxury hotel here, where the rebel commanders with their beards, leather jackets and track suits made a sharp contrast to golfers and other guests. | |
| “We accepted everything because they promised everything — even paradise,” Ahmad al-Qanatri, the commander of a military battalion in northern Idlib Province, said of the conference sponsors. “The structure is good, but all on condition we get something. I am not sure we will. If we see any rockets and missiles, it will probably be the ones fired at us.” | “We accepted everything because they promised everything — even paradise,” Ahmad al-Qanatri, the commander of a military battalion in northern Idlib Province, said of the conference sponsors. “The structure is good, but all on condition we get something. I am not sure we will. If we see any rockets and missiles, it will probably be the ones fired at us.” |
| “From the outside you see all these victories and you think, ‘Wow!’ But I am fighting with nothing,” Mr. Qanatri added. | “From the outside you see all these victories and you think, ‘Wow!’ But I am fighting with nothing,” Mr. Qanatri added. |
| Several elements have transformed the chances for unity sticking this time around, participants said. | Several elements have transformed the chances for unity sticking this time around, participants said. |
| First, dozens of governments participating in the Friends of Syria meeting in Morocco, on Wednesday want to see signs of a viable alternative government in order to extend recognition to the opposition coalition, reorganized less than a month ago. Coalition members are scheduled to meet in Cairo on Saturday to begin selecting a prime minister and a cabinet. | |
| The United States in particular has emphasized that the coalition must show strong links to the interior forces, both the rebels and civilian society. Rebel commanders said that three representatives from the Central Intelligence Agency — one from headquarters, one from Turkey and another from Jordan — attended their discussions here but did not comment. | The United States in particular has emphasized that the coalition must show strong links to the interior forces, both the rebels and civilian society. Rebel commanders said that three representatives from the Central Intelligence Agency — one from headquarters, one from Turkey and another from Jordan — attended their discussions here but did not comment. |
| Second, there is a growing sense that extremist jihadist forces are beginning to eclipse the rest of the opposition with better weapons and fighters. But outside powers have been reluctant to provide much-demanded antiaircraft and antitank missiles until they are assured that the arsenal will not fall into the wrong hands if the rebels achieve their goal of toppling the government of President Bashar al-Assad. | Second, there is a growing sense that extremist jihadist forces are beginning to eclipse the rest of the opposition with better weapons and fighters. But outside powers have been reluctant to provide much-demanded antiaircraft and antitank missiles until they are assured that the arsenal will not fall into the wrong hands if the rebels achieve their goal of toppling the government of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| Third, rebel commanders said they were facing a stark new reality. Their advances in recent weeks have been built largely on fatigue and low morale among government soldiers, as well as on random weapons captured from military bases, they said. | Third, rebel commanders said they were facing a stark new reality. Their advances in recent weeks have been built largely on fatigue and low morale among government soldiers, as well as on random weapons captured from military bases, they said. |
| But both the initial attempt to batter the ramparts of Damascus and the long struggle for Aleppo have given many commanders the sober sense that they had better obtain stronger weapons for any final showdown over the main government strongholds. | But both the initial attempt to batter the ramparts of Damascus and the long struggle for Aleppo have given many commanders the sober sense that they had better obtain stronger weapons for any final showdown over the main government strongholds. |
| The meeting here concluded with twin promises between the commanders and their outside supporters. In exchange for unification, the main backers of the rebels said they would funnel money and weapons through the new military council rather than playing favorites among the groups, commanders said. | The meeting here concluded with twin promises between the commanders and their outside supporters. In exchange for unification, the main backers of the rebels said they would funnel money and weapons through the new military council rather than playing favorites among the groups, commanders said. |
| “Before, they were always trying to bring different factions to their side, they created divisions, but now they are helping to create unity,” said Gen. Abed Farzat, a military commander from Aleppo. | “Before, they were always trying to bring different factions to their side, they created divisions, but now they are helping to create unity,” said Gen. Abed Farzat, a military commander from Aleppo. |
| The pivotal countries present were Qatar — which provides most of the financing for coalition efforts — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Turkey, commanders said. Those countries are still likely to support their own favorites in the game of regional influence, but the main effort will be concentrated on the new leadership, analysts said. Britain and France also sent representatives. | The pivotal countries present were Qatar — which provides most of the financing for coalition efforts — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Turkey, commanders said. Those countries are still likely to support their own favorites in the game of regional influence, but the main effort will be concentrated on the new leadership, analysts said. Britain and France also sent representatives. |
| The commanders present agreed to the formation of an internal leadership, led by the new chief of staff chosen here, General Idriss. The general, described by commanders as a former professor at Syria’s war college, had previously tried to link external and internal opposition efforts. | The commanders present agreed to the formation of an internal leadership, led by the new chief of staff chosen here, General Idriss. The general, described by commanders as a former professor at Syria’s war college, had previously tried to link external and internal opposition efforts. |
| There was some grumbling among the commanders present that a few people given important posts had defected too recently to be considered reliable, but many fighters seemed pleased over all that their role was finally getting its due. Commanders from jihadist groups were not invited. | There was some grumbling among the commanders present that a few people given important posts had defected too recently to be considered reliable, but many fighters seemed pleased over all that their role was finally getting its due. Commanders from jihadist groups were not invited. |
| The new organization effectively replaced the loose network of defected officers who were considered leaders of the Free Syrian Army, many of them outside the country. | The new organization effectively replaced the loose network of defected officers who were considered leaders of the Free Syrian Army, many of them outside the country. |
| “They want people who obey orders,” said Col. Riad al-Asaad, long the head of the Free Syrian Army in exile in Turkey, who said foreign powers did not invite him to the meeting. | “They want people who obey orders,” said Col. Riad al-Asaad, long the head of the Free Syrian Army in exile in Turkey, who said foreign powers did not invite him to the meeting. |
| But the marked difference with the current structure was that it was built from the field commanders rather than imposed by Arab countries and the West. | But the marked difference with the current structure was that it was built from the field commanders rather than imposed by Arab countries and the West. |
| “They are trying to build a leadership of credible ground forces, and I think that is a huge distinction,” said Elizabeth O’Bagy, an expert on the Syrian rebel groups at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington. “A lot of the people who are part of the new military leadership are influential and important leaders on the ground.” | “They are trying to build a leadership of credible ground forces, and I think that is a huge distinction,” said Elizabeth O’Bagy, an expert on the Syrian rebel groups at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington. “A lot of the people who are part of the new military leadership are influential and important leaders on the ground.” |
| In addition, a civilian will most likely be chosen as defense minister before the Marrakesh meeting. Two mentioned prominently are Mohamed al-Fares, who was an air force officer most famous as Syria’s first astronaut, sent aloft by the Soviets in 1987, and Manaf Tlass, the scion of a famous Sunni Muslim family. | In addition, a civilian will most likely be chosen as defense minister before the Marrakesh meeting. Two mentioned prominently are Mohamed al-Fares, who was an air force officer most famous as Syria’s first astronaut, sent aloft by the Soviets in 1987, and Manaf Tlass, the scion of a famous Sunni Muslim family. |
| Commanders said that Mr. Tlass was a favorite of the French and Saudis, but that they distrusted him both because of his senior military position under President Assad and because his father was defense minister for almost 30 years. | Commanders said that Mr. Tlass was a favorite of the French and Saudis, but that they distrusted him both because of his senior military position under President Assad and because his father was defense minister for almost 30 years. |
| In tandem with the military conference, 95 members of local administrative councils from inside Syria meeting in Istanbul announced Thursday that they reached an agreement on a joint organizational structure and a uniform list of goals, with distributing humanitarian aid a priority. | In tandem with the military conference, 95 members of local administrative councils from inside Syria meeting in Istanbul announced Thursday that they reached an agreement on a joint organizational structure and a uniform list of goals, with distributing humanitarian aid a priority. |
| But commanders said the tide can really turn only with better weapons — the cost in dead fighters and civilians is too high to keep battling the way they have been. Part of the agreement was rooted in fatigue, commanders said, and the desire to end civilian suffering. | But commanders said the tide can really turn only with better weapons — the cost in dead fighters and civilians is too high to keep battling the way they have been. Part of the agreement was rooted in fatigue, commanders said, and the desire to end civilian suffering. |
| Commanders said this was especially true in Damascus, where the government can be expected to make a fierce last stand, throwing into battle its best airplanes and tanks, which up to now have been used sparingly. | Commanders said this was especially true in Damascus, where the government can be expected to make a fierce last stand, throwing into battle its best airplanes and tanks, which up to now have been used sparingly. |
| “We still lack the powerful weapons that are needed for the battles that are coming,” said Abu Ghassan, a field commander from Damascus using only his nickname. “We have not really opened the front line there yet. We have only shaken the rose a little bit to get the smell.” | “We still lack the powerful weapons that are needed for the battles that are coming,” said Abu Ghassan, a field commander from Damascus using only his nickname. “We have not really opened the front line there yet. We have only shaken the rose a little bit to get the smell.” |