Senators Introduce Syrian Resolution to Aid, Not Arm, Opposition
Email
(Image Credit: APTN/AP Photo)
Amid the violence in Syria, Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a resolution today calling for the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and calling on the Obama administration to start providing “substantial material and technical support,” to the Syrian opposition.
The resolution does not support arming the opposition, a Senate aide said.
Some lawmakers, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., have called on the administration to arm the opposition, in addition to other support.
The resolution released today does not go that far, and rather these senators believe there is a lot the U.S. can do to help the opposition in terms of providing communications support, helping the political opposition organize, sending humanitarian aid and reporting on abuses inside the country.
The resolution says U.S. assistance should be provided upon request to Syrian organizations that are representative of the people of Syria, make demonstrable commitments to protect human rights and religious freedom, reject terrorism, cooperate with international counterterrorism and nonproliferation efforts, and abstain from destabilizing neighboring countries.
“We need to hasten Assad’s departure from power and also lay the groundwork for the difficult path towards a true inclusive democracy,” said Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a paper statement announcing the resolution today.
The resolution condemns the Assad regime’s human rights violations, calls upon Assad to step down from power, condemns the governments of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran for providing military and security equipment to Syria, and urges the president to begin taking steps to prepare for the fall of Assad’s regime.
The Senate is out of session until Monday afternoon. First movement on this resolution will come Tuesday in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
“…and calling on the Obama administration to start providing “substantial material and technical support,” to the Syrian opposition…” — yeah, let’s find yet another country where we can spend money we don’t have and send them supplies we can’t afford to buy and need in our own country…next up: let’s send in our troops…and after that is under way, let’s look for yet another country to do the same…repeat, rinse and cycle…Washington bleeding hearts…
Posted by: RalphF | February 10, 2012, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
Funny how the people who use the term “bleeding hearts” are the same ones who call themselves “Christian” conservatives. Swear to worship a guy who died for them and helped the poor, when they themselves cant stand the thought of helping their fellow man or and would snuff out the poor.
Posted by: Travis C | February 10, 2012, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
What? Give away more of our money! Once their goverment does change, they will continue to oppress religions other than their own brand of it. Why bother giving them money?
Posted by: randall | February 10, 2012, 8:27 pm 8:27 pm
We don’t have money to spend on things that are none of our business when we have needs here at home. We simply can’t afford it.
Interesting that some in our government seek to disarm us while asking us to pay to arm others.
Posted by: oonogil7 | February 10, 2012, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
POSTED BY: TRAVIS C | FEBRUARY 10, 2012, 8:10 PM 8:10 PM, like we helped Egypt Muslim
Brotherhood, like we led from behind in Lybia(now the Pres. Is taking the credit for it) this administration only knows to talk, but for someone who has never taken responsibility for anything, its the tsunamis fault, its europes fault, its Bushes fault, voting present or calls the President of the USA un-American when he played senator, changes his mind if it suits him, what do you expect.
Posted by: Lizzie | February 11, 2012, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
“Amid the violence in Syria, Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a resolution today calling for the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and calling on the Obama administration to start providing “substantial material and technical support,” to the Syrian opposition.”
Sounds just like Libya. Surprised a Republican like Rubio signed onto this. Guess that means we won’t be hearing the normal hue and cry from the Right.
Posted by: A Cynic | February 11, 2012, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm