Thread: Someone Is Lying: Obama Says Not Arming Syrian Rebels, Syrian Rebels Say He Is

Someone Is Lying: Obama Says Not Arming Syrian Rebels, Syrian Rebels Say He Is

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/28/2014 16:36 -0400

As we noted yesterday, President Obama is saying he is contemplating arming and training Syrian rebels (just the 'moderates' which will be identified by their smiles). However, as the following PBS Frontline documentary exposes, the Syrian rebels themselves say they are already armed and trained by US in the use of sophisticated weapons and fighting techniques, including, one rebel said, "how to finish off soldiers still alive after an ambush." The interviews are the latest evidence that after more than three years of warfare, the United States has stepped up the provision of lethal aid to the rebels, as PBS notes "it appears the Obama administration is allowing select groups of rebels to receive US-made anti-tank missiles." So who is lying? Obama (again) or the Syrian rebels (who show US-made supplies in the following clips).
The whole interview is noteworthy and damning for the administration but the good stuff starts around 8:00
As PBS explains,

The documentary, produced by FRONTLINE for airing on PBS stations, features journalist Muhammad Ali, who has been following the Syrian civil war for the program. It shows Ali meeting up with a seemingly moderate faction of the rebels, though the faction itself is not identified — apparently for fear of angering its American contacts.

Ali is shown riding with a rebel supply officer as he traveled to the Turkish border to reportedly pick up American-supplied Russian weapons and ammunition, but he is not allowed to accompany the fighters to the actual meeting.

...

The commander of the unit also told Ali that their American contacts had asked him to bring 80 to 90 members of his unit to Ankara for training.

...

One of the fighters said they received three weeks of training in how to conduct ambushes, conduct raids and use their weapons. They also said they received new uniforms and boots.

“They trained us to ambush regime or enemy vehicles and cut off the road,” said the fighter, who is identified only as “Hussein.” “They also trained us on how to attack a vehicle, raid it, retrieve information or weapons and munitions, and how to finish off soldiers still alive after an ambush.”

...

The United States has refused to confirm its growing efforts to help the fighters. Neither the Pentagon nor the CIA would comment on Frontline’s findings.

For the United States, publicly embracing such an effort presents many challenges, chief among them widespread opposition among U.S. voters for more direct U.S. involvement in the Syrian conflict.

...

Perhaps because of those reasons, Congress has never publicly signed off on funding for a training and arming effort, and officially, the United States only provides non-lethal aid, like food rations, clothing and first aid supplies.

Of course, we are sure anyone from the government looking into this will be shocked and not have a clue how it could have happened... who is responsible for the decision... and who is funding it... once again we ask... who is lying?


Average: 4.8125




http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...ebels-disagree

Obama To Authorize Weapons Training Of Syrian "Rebels"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 05/27/2014 11:28 -0400

This will end well. President Obama is, according to WSJ, close to authorizing the US military to train "moderate" Syrian rebels. The move - clearly expanding Washington's role in the conflict and a subtle side-swipe at Putin - is aimed at providing a seemingly arbitrary group of rebels with weapons training to fight against both Bashar al-Assad's regime's army as well as Al-Qaeda-linked groups. One quick question - how will Obama determine who is 'moderate' and who is full Al-Qaeda-tard?


As WSJ reports,

A new military training program, if implemented, would supplement a small train-and-equip program led by the Central Intelligence Agency which Mr. Obama authorized a year ago.

U.S. officials said the new military program would represent a significant expansion of Washington's public efforts. U.S. officials don't discuss the CIA's limited training program because it is covert.

Only supporting the moderates - not the real crazies?

"The president will make clear his intention to expand our support to the moderate Syrian operation and increase our support to Syria's neighbors, who are dealing with the terrorist threats emanating from the situation Assad has created in Syria," a senior administration official said.

The proposed military training mission has been the subject of a nearly yearlong Obama administration debate pitting top American diplomats seeking leverage to pressure Mr. Assad against Pentagon leaders wary of open-ended commitments that risk deepening U.S. involvement in another messy Middle Eastern conflict.

Defense officials said it was unclear when training, which would be undertaken by U.S. special-operations forces, would get under way, citing obstacles that include how the Pentagon will vet prospective rebels for the program.

We are sure they will figure it out?
And here comes the Middle East pressure...

The move toward deeper U.S. involvement reflects a growing realization within the White House that more needs to be done to build up the capabilities of a proxy force inside Syria capable of challenging al Qaeda. Washington increasingly fears al Qaeda's network of foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq will become capable of threatening U.S. allies in the region, including Jordan.

The move also comes in response to mounting pressure on the White House from Middle Eastern allies who say Mr. Obama's reluctance to support moderate fighters has allowed al Qaeda-linked groups to now dominate the opposition.

...

The Western-backed Free Syrian Army has been fighting a two-front war, against Mr. Assad and his allies on one side, and against al Qaeda and its allies on the other, but commanders say they have received scant support from the U.S.

During his visit, Mr. Jarba met with Mr. Obama and top officials at the White House and the State Department. Mr. Jarba also requested a meeting with Mr. Hagel, but a senior defense official said the Pentagon chief's schedule at the time was booked. "There was not a concerted effort not to meet with him," the senior defense official said. "It was a scheduling thing."

But...

Administration lawyers have raised other legal concerns about the proposed military program, holding up its final approval, officials said.

And...

Jordanian officials have privately told their American counterparts that they are worried a large overt training program on their territory could prompt the Assad regime or al Qaeda to retaliate against the Hashemite Kingdom.

This has always worked so well in the past and we are sure this administration will execute flawlessly. One quick question... will "Hijacking airplanes for disgruntled Al Qaeda operatives 101", pardon, Syrian rebels, be on the curriculum?


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...-syrian-rebels