Islamists Fighting in Syria Disenchanted With Democracy After Morsi's Removal

Believe violent overthrow is their only option

BEIRUT, LEBANON — Syria's Islamist rebels say the downfall of Egypt's popularly elected Muslim Brotherhood president has proven that Western nations pushing for democracy will never accept them, and reinforced the view of radicals that a violent power grab is their only resort.

Radical Islamist groups, some of them linked to al-Qaida, have lately been in the ascendancy in Syria's two-year conflict as the death toll rises above 100,000.