Given that the group is in Syria, fighting off both the Islamic State and the military of Bashar al-Assad, it could be that the the Nusra Front is trying to position itself as a group the U.S. should leave alone. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Abu Muhammed al-Golani, the leader of the al-Qaida group in Syria, said the group has no plans on attacking the West. Of course, it could be propaganda, as a way to set the group further apart from the Islamic State. Al-Golani said, “The directions that we are received from Dr. Ayman, [al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri] may God protect him, are that the Nusra Front aim is to bring down the regime and its allies, I mean Hezbollah.” He continued, saying the “directions we have received until now is not to target the west and America.” Al-Golani continued, calling on the U.S. to stop sending airstrikes against the Nusra Front because if they continue, the group may retaliate. It’s a small comfort, knowing that at least one jihadist group said it will not attack the U.S. — for now. It’s strange that words from a terrorists do more to sooth national security worries than the press briefings from the Obama administration. More…