US finalizing plan to boost support for moderate Syrian rebels

[al-Hasani]

US President Barack Obama and Tunisia's Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa speak to each other in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. – Reuters​

Last updated: Saturday, April 05, 2014 11:52 PM

WASHINGTON – The US government is finalizing a plan to increase training and small-arms shipments for Syrian rebels, two US security sources said on Friday, as Syrian government troops gain momentum following the collapse of US-backed peace talks.

The United States would increase assistance and send the shipments to moderate rebel factions mostly based in Jordan, along Syria’s southern border, the officials familiar with the plan told Reuters.

The additional supplies are likely to be modest and will not include surface-to-air missiles, the officials said, raising questions over the impact in a civil war that has killed an estimated 136,000 people, produced nine million refugees and threatens to destabilize the region.

Rebels have urged the Obama administration to provide advanced weapons including surface-to-air missiles and exert greater military pressure on Russia-backed Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who has intensified bombings of rebel neighborhoods in recent month.

But the United States fears supplies of advanced weapons to pro-Western rebels could be diverted to militant groups, who could use them to attack allied, Israeli or civilian aircraft, the US officials said, explaining why the surface-to-air missiles won’t be included in the assistance.

President Barack Obama has resisted becoming entangled in Syria’s complex, two-year civil war, but has faced criticism for failing to take a tougher stand given the immensity of the humanitarian crisis. Details of how much aid will flow to the screened rebel groups are the subject of continuing discussions. It’s also unclear, for instance, how much would be covert or whether there would be a US military or special forces role.

The assistance does not require additional funding from Congress, said the officials, who declined to be identified because they are not authorized to speak with the media. “Now we have to finalize the plans,” one official said.

National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden declined to comment. A former government official familiar with the plan said that training would be done in small tranches.

The sources said that while the Obama administration accepts that the plan will not turn the tide of the conflict decisively against Assad, the US assistance could improve the chances that if Assad is deposed the United States will have allies among successful revolutionary forces. – Reuters

US finalizing plan to boost support for Syrian rebels | Mid-East | Saudi Gazette

 

[Globenim]

"increase"

"boost"

So they admit they have been arming the terrorists with weapons all along?

That makes the U.S.A at least partly but directly responsible for the murder of every single Syrian civilian, goverment and military. But not like they ever cared about human lives and human rights like they keep parroting .

 

[faisal6309]

What is MODERATE rebel?

 

[Falcon29]

What is MODERATE rebel?

The conflict or any other social issue around the world is not related to these political terms. These terms are a form of policy used to justify either support or aggression against any certain group of people. If you look at the larger picture it's not at all about humanity, if the world cared about humanity we wouldn't live in a world where there still is occupation, genocide, massive wars against middle Eastern nations, political struggles against local authorities, etc...

All that matters is what they get out of each conflict, please do not try pulling up the humanity card since it doesn't lie in your favor either way.

 

[Superboy]

Russia is enemy of the US and Assad is puppet of Russia that's why the US wants to bomb Syria.

 

[Echo_419]

What is MODERATE rebel?

MODERATE my @$$
US is arming Jihadis plane & simple
Assad is no saint but as compared to grease idiots he is far better

 

[Serpentine]

What is MODERATE rebel?

Anyone who fights Assad can be renamed 'moderate' overnight, if it suits them.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Anyone who fights Assad can be renamed 'moderate' overnight, if it suits them.

What about Hezbollah?

MODERATE my @$$
US is arming Jihadis plane & simple
Assad is no saint but as compared to grease idiots he is far better

How exactly sure are you about the US decision to solely arm Jihadis?

Could you please tell us how radical these people look:

Thank you

 

[Serpentine]

What about Hezbollah?

what about Hezbollah, specifically?

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

what about Hezbollah, specifically?

The kind of support Iran is giving it to over the years, and their involvement in Syria.

Do you view them as perfectly moderate as the Brazilians or the North Koreans?

 

[Serpentine]

The kind of support Iran is giving it to over the years, and their involvement in Syria.

Do you view them as perfectly moderate as the Brazilians or the North Koreans?

The thing is, Iran never brags that it's supporting 'moderates', it simply says that it's supporting Hezbollah or Syria.

If U.S wants to arm rebels, it's fine, but the whole 'moderate' thing is a hoax from base and is just ridiculous.

The so called 'moderate rebels' are fighting hands in hands with JAN in Latakia as we speak right now.

 

[Broccoli]

So far only groups in Syria using TOW missiles have been the moderates close SMC.

 

[Superboy]

So far only groups in Syria using TOW missiles have been the moderates close SMC.

Only Hezbollah, Iraqi groups, Palestinian Islamic Jihad use TOW, specially Iranian Toophan versions.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

But recently Iran announces that it will support the axis of resistance - which includes Syria - unconditionally. Isn't that something similar to what the US is suggesting in this?

The thing is, Iran never brags that it's supporting 'moderates', it simply says that it's supporting Hezbollah or Syria.

If U.S wants to arm rebels, it's fine, but the whole 'moderate' thing is a hoax from base and is just ridiculous.

The so called 'moderate rebels' are fighting hands in hands with JAN in Latakia as we speak right now.

So, I'm guessing that you're suggesting that there are no moderatre rebels whatsoever, right? All of them are bad?

 

[Serpentine]

But recently Iran announces that it will support the axis of resistance - which includes Syria - unconditionally. Isn't that something similar to what the US is suggesting in this?

So, I'm guessing that you're suggesting that there are no moderate rebels whatsoever, right? All of them are bad?

I didn't suggest anything like that. There ARE moderate rebels and more importantly, moderate opposition, but they are too outnumbered and out powered right now. Many of those who fought in early months of conflict or deserted from SAA are either killed or have now stopped fighting. It's not even a revolution right now, it has turned in to a political game between outside forces and Syrian citizens are paying for it.

Number of extremists is too high and most of the aids and weapons finally end up in hands of ISIL, Nusra, Jund al Sham or other terrorist groups, as we have witnessed by now. The secular opposition, those who are not sectarian wackos, are out powered by other powerful extremist groups.