Why Did The U.S. Invite An Al Qaeda Linked Leader In Syria With Ties To ISIS To Visit The U.S.?

McClatchy News: Syrian rebel whose group is linked to al Qaida visited U.S.

* Ahrar al Sham is an Islamist rebel force that works with al Qaida
* Though controversial, Ahrar al Sham is not a designated terrorist group
* Rebels say U.S. inaction leaves them no choice but to work with jihadists

WASHINGTON - A senior figure from a Syrian rebel group with links to al Qaida was allowed into the United States for a brief visit, raising questions about how much the Obama administration will compromise in the search for partners in the conflict.

Labib al Nahhas, foreign affairs director for the Islamist fighting group Ahrar al Sham, spent a few days in Washington in December, according to four people with direct knowledge of the trip and who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of U.S. relations with Syrian rebels.

His previously undisclosed visit is a delicate matter for both sides – the conservative Salafist insurgents risk their credibility with even perceived ties to the United States, and the U.S. government risks looking soft on screenings by allowing entry to a member of an Islamist paramilitary force.

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Update #1: Reporter Confronts State Department Over DC Visit by Islamist Group Leader -- Washington Free Beacon
Update #2: Syrian Al-Qaeda-linked leader freely visited the US, but State Dept. says it ‘didn’t know’ (RT).

WNU Editor: This smells bad.