US to send small arms, ammo to Syrian rebels

[BLUE 1,026]

By Barbara Starr and Chelsea J. Carter, CNN

 

Washington (CNN) -- The United States plans to send small arms, ammunition and potentially anti-tank weapons to Syria's rebels, two officials familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.

 

President Barack Obama's administration has declined to provide details about increased military assistance for the rebels following its announcement Thursday that Syria crossed a "red line" with its use of chemical weapons.

 

Ben Rhodes, a U.S. deputy national security adviser, told reporters that Washington will "increase the size and scope of the assistance."

 

When pushed for more details, Rhodes said: "I can't give you a specific timeline or itemized list of what that assistance is."

 

The weapons will be provided by the CIA, the officials told CNN's chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding the issue.

 

The U.S. announcement set off a series of claims and counterclaims in Syria and world capitals over the conflict that has claimed more than 90,000 lives with no sign of progress toward a political solution.

 

Britain backed the U.S. change in position, but Syria and its allies in Russia quickly sought to cast its integrity into doubt.

 

The Syrian foreign ministry accused Washington of releasing "a statement full of lies regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria," according to a statement released on state TV.

 

And a government statement carried by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency accused the United States of using "flagrant tricks to come up with any possible means to justify the decision of President Barack Obama to arm the Syrian opposition."

 

An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled as "unconvincing" the U.S. evidence of chemical weapons use by Syria.

 

However, British Foreign Secretary William Hague backed the U.S. government's assessment and called for a coordinated response from the international community.

 

Read more: CNN.com

[blotsfan 2,112]

Lovely...

 

We really should stay out of this. Both sides are scum

[SteVo+ 3,702]

One of the most underfunded, archaic education systems in the world, a social security program that's going bankrupt, and this is where we spend our money. It isn't hard to see why America sucks.

[OSUViking 505]

Not hard for the NSA considering they can see everything...

Edited June 16, 2013 by Vikingfan465

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Or we could just you know...say fuck it and leave them the fuck alone. Why the hell is this our responsibility ? We should mind our own fucking business for a change. Syrians are not my concern and I dont give a shit what happens in that country.

[Jules 98]

Iran is jumping into the party with reportedly having 4000 troops aid Assad. As the U.S. has 4500 troops planned to help the rebels.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/06/16/syrian-activists-say-al-qaida-linked-militants-blow-up-shiite-mosque-in-hatla/

 

Putin warns U.S. and it's allies on what they could be dealing with:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/16/world/meast/syria-civil-war/

[Bucman 891]

Cool lets just arm what are basically terrorist and once they get killed, we can just arm the terrorist on the other side.

[blotsfan 2,112]

When Putin is the one making sense...

[Bucman 891]

Iran is jumping into the party with reportedly having 4000 troops aid Assad. As the U.S. has 4500 troops planned to help the rebels.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/06/16/syrian-activists-say-al-qaida-linked-militants-blow-up-shiite-mosque-in-hatla/

 

Putin warns U.S. and it's allies on what they could be dealing with:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/16/world/meast/syria-civil-war/

I don't see anywhere where the US is sending troops there. They have said the chances of grounds troops going into Syria is extremely low. But wouldn't rule out drone strikes and other means military action. US loves drones, so they will probably use plenty of them.

[Jules 98]

I don't see anywhere where the US is sending troops there. They have said the chances of grounds troops going into Syria is extremely low. But wouldn't rule out drone strikes and other means military action. US loves drones, so they will probably use plenty of them.

 

You are right, they are not exactly in there yet but they are near the border so who know how it transpires. I just don't all think this sounds good, like the calm before the storm in a way?

 

http://www.wnd.com/2013/06/jordan-wargames-4500-u-s-troops-near-syrian-border/?cat_orig=world

[Jules 98]

http://rt.com/news/jordan-multinational-military-exercises-459/

 

Multinational military exercise 'Eager Lion' has been launched in Jordan amid condemnation from neighboring Syria and its ally Russia. The US brings Patriot missile batteries to the Syrian border, which could remain deployed afterwards.

 

The exercises will last for 12 days, bringing together about 8,000 personnel from 19 countries, mostly Arabic, but also including the US and Europe. The maneuvers will also involve some 3,000 Jordanian and 500 British troops.

 

 

'Eager Lion' – which is being conducted only 120km from the Jordan-Syria border – is aimed at training personnel for the possibility of the Syrian civil war spilling into neighboring countries.

[Jules 98]

England joining in now.

 

http://ctnbreakingnews.blogspot.com/2013/06/british-royal-marines-are-on-their-way.html

[Bucman 891]

Ugh. Hopefully the troops are just there to make the ammo and weapon drop and leave.

[Jules 98]

This stuff makes my heart ache.....

 

STAY OUT OF SYRIA

 

Article:

 

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/30/catholic-priest-beheaded-in-syria-by-al-qaeda-linked-rebels-as-men-and-children-take-pictures-and-cheer/#

 

I warn anyone not to watch any of the graphic videos of the Syrian violence unless they have a strong stomach. I have seen too many.

 

Small children and even babies are tortured too. And yes these are the monsters the United States is aiding/wishes to aide....

Edited July 1, 2013 by Jules

[RazorStar 4,025]

We need more Proxy Wars.

[OSUViking 505]

 

 

I warn anyone not to watch any of the graphic videos of the Syrian violence unless they have a strong stomach. I have seen too many.

 

Small children and even babies are tortured too. And yes these are the monsters the United States is aiding/wishes to aide....

 

Yeah; I've watched some videos of rebels ambushing tanks and soldiers with RPGs and machine guns. It's pretty gruesome. In one of the videos, they destroyed one tank but then another tank fired and completely blew up the room. I think the video ended after that. There was another where it was a guy filming, and two soldiers walked out onto the street and just started unloading on him.

 

I'm not using this to advocate intervention - I'm opposed to intervention. It's just that, as a non-interventionist, I face a lot of qualms and reservations about how awful the whole situation is. It's tough for me to be non-interventionist.

[Phins4life 271]

There was this one group called the Mujahideen that we helped a while back. Maybe there's something to this deja vu thing...

[Jules 98]

http://rt.com/news/french-foreign-minister-syria-834/

 

France says that the international community needs to respond with force if allegations that the Syrian government carried out a chemical attack on civilians prove to be true.

 

"There would have to be reaction with force in Syria from the international community, but there is no question of sending troops on the ground," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on French television network BFM.

 

 

He also said the situation could be handled "in other ways" if the UN Security Council could not make a decision. He did not elaborate.

 

The French minister then demanded an inspection of the gas attack, saying that if the Syrian government of Bashar refused the inspection, "this will mean that it is guilty."

 

 

On Wednesday, a gas attack was reported by opposition activists in the capital Damascus. The number of people reported killed varies from dozens up to 1,300. Rebel groups blamed the incident on President Bashar Assad's forces, while the government sees it as an effort on the part of the rebels to draw international attention to their cause. The attack coincided with the visit of UN observers, coming to the country to investigate previous cases of chemical attacks in the war-torn country.

[BUCK3Y3 44]

http://rt.com/news/french-foreign-minister-syria-834/

I would not be shocked if the rebels used them and are trying to pin it on the government. After all if the US gets involved that makes the syrian rebels job of taking the country over and enacting Sharia Law that much easier. Al Qaeda will literally have their own country.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

This is pretty gay, but at least we're not sending troops. Yet.