Throughout the Arab Spring, the Obama administration has come down on the side of the Muslim Brotherhood in nearly every single instance. In Egypt, the administration did to Mubarak what Jimmy Carter did to the Shah; in Libya, Obama assisted in the overthrow of Gadhafi; now, in Syria, the Obama administration is calling for Bashar al-Assad to step down.

You know who else is? That’s right, al-Qaeda.

Via the AP:

Al-Qaida’s leader has called for the ouster of Syria’s “pernicious, cancerous regime,” raising fears that Islamic extremists will try to exploit an uprising against President Bashar Assad that began with peaceful calls for democratic change but is morphing into a bloody, armed insurgency.

The regime has long blamed terrorists for the 11-month-old revolt, and al-Qaida’s endorsement creates new difficulties for the U.S., its Western allies and Arab states trying to figure out a way to help force Assad from power. On Sunday, the 22-nation Arab League called for the U.N. Security Council to create a joint peacekeeping force for Syria, but Damascus rejected it immediately.

In an eight-minute video message released late Saturday, al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahri called on Muslims to support Syrian rebels.

As I wrote here, the prospect of the Assad regime’s fall could be far more dangerous for world stability. Like Hamas, al-Qaeda is essentially an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood. Syria is now being fought over. Iran has control through Assad and wants him to stay in power. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has the stealth support of Turkey wants Assad gone so it can begin the process of claiming Syria.

In short, those who clamor for the overthrow of Assad should be careful what they wish for. Something much worse is likely.

Ironically, Russia and China are two nations that seem to understand this.