Email
President Obama has directed his national security team to identify ways to significantly ramp up U.S. support of the opposition forces battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Among the options under consideration are supplying arms to rebel forces, although no decision on that has been made.
The first step will likely be a dramatic expansion of non-lethal aid to opposition fighters.
“The items to be supplied will be decided after consultations with the Supreme Military Command,” National Security Council Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden tells ABC News. “Additional communications equipment, armor, night vision goggles and vehicles are among the items being discussed.”
Hayden also suggested aid to the rebels could go beyond such non-lethal assistance.
“We continue to consider all other possible options that would accomplish our objective of hastening a political transition,” she said.
Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S. would be doubling aid to the opposition, bringing the total U.S. aid to $250 million, including non-lethal supplies to the opposition’s military wing.
Beyond that, senior administration sources say the White House is actively considering supplying the rebels with arms. This is a move President Obama has resisted for fears the weapons could fall into the wrong hands.
We have the worse President ever with his half-baked, knee-jerk responses to just about everything he does, backing the US into a corner with his red-line rhetoric and now the world laughs at us once again while AQ and it’s affiliates come to know exactly how weak we are with him in the WH.
Posted by: Gunner__59 | May 1, 2013, 7:30 am 7:30 am
One man’s rebel is another’s common citizen. Interesting that at the same time he drives to disarm honest American citizens he is weighing the idea (sorry guys, he’s already done it) of supplying “assault” weapons to citizens of another country.
Posted by: wantingbalance | May 1, 2013, 8:02 am 8:02 am
We have no dog in this fight. MY government is going to buy ammunition, at what cost, to fund a resistance that, when it assumes power will be just like the Muslim government in Egypt?!? Thank you defense industry lobby!
Posted by: Spitting into the Wind | May 1, 2013, 8:29 am 8:29 am
We have no dog in this fight. MY government is going to buy ammunition, at what cost, to fund a resistance that, when it assumes power will be just like the Muslim government in Egypt?!? Thank you defense industry lobby!
Posted by: Spitting into the Wind | May 1, 2013, 8:29 am 8:29 am
It was Obama’s idea to arm the rebels in Egypt, which brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power. Obama also intervened illegally in Libya, basically handing cities like Benghazi over to terrorists who eventually murdered Ambassador Stevens on the anniversary of 9/11. We had no national interests in Libya and have no national interests in Syra. IT’S NOT OUR PROBLEM.
Posted by: Jeff | May 1, 2013, 9:04 am 9:04 am
There are several people here who need to review their history. We, as in the US government, have ALWAYS butted our noses into fights that weren’t ours. Iran Contra anyone? Helping to put Saddam Hussein into power. Arming the Taliban against the Russian military. This is how our idiotic government works and always has. By all means blame Obama. And Bush, I and II. And Reagan. And Clinton. And, and, and…
Posted by: Shannon | May 1, 2013, 9:21 am 9:21 am
So the “Let me be clear, there is a distinctive red line drawn” is not so clear now that they’ve crossed this imaginary red line? And Obama is suppose to be taken seriously? He’s a joke. A pathetic joke.
Posted by: dd23 | May 1, 2013, 9:28 am 9:28 am
OBAMA, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN US HISTORY! SHAME ON YOU, YOU WARMONGER!
Posted by: Zarand | May 1, 2013, 9:33 am 9:33 am
It’s too late as usual, the Muslim Brotherhood has now joined the rebels, instead of us helping them in the beginning when we knew who the rebels were, we wait until they have been taken over by our enemy…good job Mr. President as usual.
Posted by: Freedom | May 1, 2013, 10:18 am 10:18 am
There are several people here who need to review their history. We, as in the US government, have ALWAYS butted our noses into fights that weren’t ours. Iran Contra anyone? Helping to put Saddam Hussein into power. Arming the Taliban against the Russian military. This is how our idiotic government works and always has. By all means blame Obama. And Bush, I and II. And Reagan. And Clinton. And, and, and…
Posted by: Shannon | May 1, 2013, 9:21 am 9:21 am
I thought Obama was about CHANGE.
Posted by: sue | May 1, 2013, 10:26 am 10:26 am
Nope, sorry people, these 3 in custody don’t appear to be white, conservative or Christian, just more of the same Muslim jihadist! Oops, I mean radicalized individuals caused by us and our participation in overseas contigency operations :)
Posted by: Gunner__59 | May 1, 2013, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm