Divided Syrian opposition faces feuds over leaders

DOHA, Qatar (AP) -- Over the coming days, Syria's anti-regime camp will wrangle over reorganizing its ranks.

The United States is pushing a proposal to create a new leadership body with fewer Syrian exiles and more military commanders fighting on the ground to bring down President Bashar Assad.

But there are serious doubts whether the divided and ideologically diverse factions can come together into a structure the U.S. and its allies can work with.

Hundreds of Syrian opposition figures are taking part in a five-day conference starting Sunday in the Qatari capital Doha. It's seen as the most serious push yet to forge a united front to help end the 19-month conflict.

For the United States, it represents an opportunity to overhaul Syria's fragmented opposition leadership.

The key issue is whether the main political opposition group, the Syrian National Council, which consists largely of academics and Syrian exiles, will accept a U.S.-backed proposal to set up a new 50-member leadership team with more representatives from inside Syria.

But the SNC is not the only problem. Rebel fighters are still split into multiple, self-created brigades of military defectors and Syrian civilians.