Two months ago the ramshackle brigades that make up the opposition fighters in Syria were told: ‘join the Syrian National Army (SNA) or disband.’ The disjointed divisions were causing chaos internally and undermining the credibility of a post-Assad government. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, SNA commander-in-chief, Major General Muhammad al-Haj Ali, said; “… the Free Syrian Army (FSA) reached a stage where it could no longer absorb all the opposition elements and brigades within its structure.” He added that uniting the opposition under one banner would help avoid further bloodshed once ...