[RandVal30141]

"And yet, the press has done an about-face on Al Qaeda's, referring to its Syrian branch as 'Al-Nusra, a moderate rebel group."

Substantiate your claim.

"CIA getting into bed with Islamist terrorists"

This is tiresome, just because US govt allies with Muslims that Russia calls terrorists doesn't make them so. In fact, last time I checked Russia works on the ground with Hezbollah, a designated terrorist group. This argument can easily go sideways for people hoisting it up as a mantra.

[vkou]

"The other areas listed are largely dominated by moderate rebel factions or Islamist groups, such as Ahrar al-Sham and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front." [1]

Right. They aren't bad dudes like ISIS, they are just, ah, al-Qaeda's Syrian arm. They are totally on the level.

> This is tiresome, just because US govt allies with Muslims that Russia calls terrorists doesn't make them so.

That's true. Just because Russia says they are terrorists doesn't make them terrorists. And, perhaps, using car bombs, suicide attacks, assassinations, and forced conscription of child soldiers doesn't make them terrorists either.

Strangely enough, all of this seems to be sufficient for the the United States to also designate them to be an islamic terrorist organization. [2] (And then issue diplomatic protests when Russia bombs them.)

[1] https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-seeks-parliaments-approva...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nusra_Front

[RandVal30141]

"(And then issue diplomatic protests when Russia bombs them.)"

US has literally never complained when Russia has bombed Nusra. People complain when Russia bombs people then calls them ISIS/AQ. Inanimate grain silos? IS oil facilities according to RU MoD. Hospitals? Nusra strongholds according to RU MoD.

This is what people complain about. If you want to say otherwise please substantiate your claim.