As pointed out in an earlier article it has become more and more unclear who and where the much-hyped „moderate“ Syrian rebels are supposed to be:
https://radioyaran.com/2014/09/11/the-vetted-moderate-rebels-of-the-free-syrian-army-who-and-where-are-they/

From among the rebel coalitions introduced and exposed in the article above there was one specific group that some western media and „think tanks“ had attempted to portray as „vetted“ and „moderate“ and thus worthy of receiving sophisticated weapons, particularly ATGMs (anti-tank) and MANPADs (anti-aircraft): The „Syrian Revolutionaries Front“ (SRF), led by Jamaal Maarouf.
While the western and Gulf Arab intention was to portray the SRF as an Assad enemy which at the same time was opposed to ISIS and the al-Nusra Front (Syrias Al Qaeda branch and designated as „terrorist“ by the US state department), Mr. Maarouf humiliated his backers by openly admitting that not only he was not fighting al-Nusra but that his fighters even frequently conduct joint operations with that group:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/i-am-not-fighting-againstalqaida-itsnot-our-problem-says-wests-last-hope-in-syria-9233424.html

Months later another article exposed SRF for cooperating with al-Nusra and another Salafi dominated group, the „Islamic Front“ in the southern front of Syria:
http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2014/09/syrian_revolutionaries_front_a.php#ixzz3DtQMjSAC

Now, let´s shift attention to another much featured allegedly moderate rebel militia which has received american TOW anti-tank missiles: The Hazm movement. This group which is said to number some 5.000 fighters has been again and again described as the kind of non-islamist rebel group that deserves to receive american arms. During the last months the Hazm movement uploaded several video clips showing them firing successfully at Syrian tanks and (grounded) planes.

In an unexpected turn of events the al-Nusra front attacked both the SRF and the Hazm movement. Nusra fiighters managed to inflict heavy losses on the SRF and force them to flee their strongholds:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/11/01/245423_in-setback-islamic-state-nusra.html?sp=/99/117/&rh=1

Worse, „on Saturday night Harakat Hazm surrendered military bases and weapons supplies to Jabhat al-Nusra, when the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria stormed villages they controlled in northern Idlib province.“
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11203825/Syrian-rebels-armed-and-trained-by-US-surrender-to-al-Qaeda.html

Watch this video clip with SRF leader Jamaal Maarouf cursing al-Nusras leader al-Jolani (after being defeated and ousted by the latter): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CTie56i46g
Maaroufs accusations and rants are totally paradoxical as he fabulates of an Iranian->Nusra connection.

This chain of events is well-known and clearly confirms what many people had warned of:
– The so called „moderates“ hardly exist
– The few of them who are „vetted“ and receive arms are either unwilling or unable to fight ISIS, al-Nusra and the Syrian Army
– They have openly sympathized with al-Nusra and regularly lead joint operations
– If the „moderates“ have not handed over/sold their better weapons to ISIS and/or al-Nusra voluntarily the two takfiri/jihadi groups have attacked them and forcefully taken their weapons.

For these reasons, western countries should finally recognize the obvious:
a) Radical (mostly Salafi) Islamists are the broad majority of the rebels in Syria and not an irrelevant minority
b) Neither the remnants of the FSA, let alone ISIS or al-Nusra have the slightest connection to the „Syrian National Council“, which is bare of any political or military power and still treated by the western and arab „friends of Syria“ as the „legitimate representative of the Syrian people“
c) Ignoring the facts and continuing to pretend that there is a relevant and capable „moderate“ rebel force in Syria, which should be armed only means that such a group becomes the „import interface“ of sophisticated weapons for ISIS and al-Nusra

No doubt the use of barrel bombs is a desperate measure as this weapon is indiscriminate due to it being unguided. But barrel bombs are very probably not a weapon of free choice for the Syrian army. Would the Syrian airforce possess precision „hellfire“ missiles or other smart weapons or would it have defensive weapons that deflect heat seeking anti-aircraft missiles barrel bombs would not have become a military necessity.

To claim that the airforce deliberately uses barrel bombs in order to inflict intentional and maximum civilian casualties is nonsense. Up until July 2012 the Syrian airforce almost played no role. Fixed-wing aircraft entered the civil war after the rebels intrusion into Aleppo and even then often at the rate of dropping 1-2 bombs from Czech L-39 trainer jets.

While the Syrian army implicitly is condoning collateral damage in the shape of civilian casualties its primary target for barrel bombs are rebels fighting from and hiding in civilian neighborhoods. Dozens of rebel video clips clearly show them launching rockets and firing mortars from the middle of civilian areas. Anti-aircraft guns have often been stationed in streets running between peoples houses. Army tanks have been hit by IEDs placed on such streets and convoys have been ambushed on alleyways passing through ordinary neighborhoods.
This is not meant to justify civilian casualties and downplay the devastating effects of inaccurate weapons but it is fair to make clear that many of areas subjected to Syrian army attacks have long lost their „civilian innocence“. Also, especially in vast parts of Aleppo city rebels have chased away the rightful civilian owners and taken away their houses, subsequently turning them into sniper and RPG positions.

In conclusion one could argue that the barrel bomb is a military necessity due to the lack of better weapons.
In contrast many of the violent actions of the rebels are neither accidental nor a „military necessity“.
It is not necessary to:
– mass execute captured and handcuffed prisoners of war
– throw down postal workers from rooftops
– behead disarmed opponents (and accompany a sectarian crime with religious slogans)- send suicide bombers to blow up school children (and later call them „Shabiha kids“)
– detonate water and gas pipelines
– blast electricity plants
– misuse mosques as weapons depots and firing places
– blow up and desecrate mosques and churches of minorities
– intentionally target and kill journalists and reporters critical of the „rebellion“ (and celebrate this on social media)

All these acts have been carried out by all rebel factions, not only the notorious ISIS and al-Nusra. Besides the „others“ who are hardly less sectarian have either closely and regularly cooperated with al-Nusra or openly voiced support and sympathy for them. Thus it is a mystery where and who the „moderate“ rebels are supposed to be and how anyone can seriously claim that it is safe to supply them with more and better weapons because they are „reliable“ and won´t cooperate with the Jihadists or pass their weapons over to them.