A Syrian rebel fighter loads a locally made mortar shell near Aleppo. Reuters
U.S. Still Hasn't Armed Syrian Rebels -- Wall Street Journal
In June, the White House authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to help arm moderate fighters battling the Assad regime, a signal to Syrian rebels that the cavalry was coming. Three months later, they are still waiting.
The delay, in part, reflects a broader U.S. approach rarely discussed publicly but that underpins its decision-making, according to former and current U.S. officials: The Obama administration doesn't want to tip the balance in favor of the opposition for fear the outcome may be even worse for U.S. interests than the current stalemate.
U.S. officials attribute the delay in providing small arms and munitions from the CIA weapons program to the difficulty of establishing secure delivery "pipelines" to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands, in particular Jihadi militants also battling the Assad regime.
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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
US Aid to Syrian Opposition Tops $1 Billion Mark -- Breitbart
U.S. GENERAL: Obama plans 'more substantial intervention' than vowed -- The Telegraph
Spy Planes Massing off Syria -- War Is Boring
Syria’s Air Defenses Vulnerable to Air Attack: Rand -- Defense Tech
Nimitz Sails to Red Sea As Hearings Start on Syria -- Military.com
Russia sends military reconnaissance ship to Syrian coast -- The Guardian
U.S. fuels tension by deploying warships near Syria: Russia -- Reuters
Russia Has No Plans to Expand Mediterranean Fleet – Source -- RIA Novosti
‘Unreliable’ British officers left out of US meetings on Syria -- The Telegraph
Potential action against Syria reignites U.S. budget concerns -- Reuters
'Syrian Electronic Army' hacks Marines website -- New York Post/AP
The Military Importance of the Element of Surprise in Syria -- Mark Thompson, Time
Unannounced Israel-U.S. missile test fuels jitters over Syria -- Reuters
Israel says it held missile test with US -- Defense News/AFP
Japan's Military Seeks Big Boost in Defense Budget -- AP
Why Japan’s Biggest Defense-Spend Hike in Over Two Decades Isn’t Going to Buy Much -- Kirk Spitzer, Time
Afghan forces suffering too many casualties, says top Nato commander -- The Guardian
U.K. Builds Fleet Of Modernized Chinooks -- Aviation Week
Over 80 Russian Warships on Sea Duty Across World – Commander -- RIA Novosti
Russia Begins ‘Open Skies’ Flights Over US -- RIA Novosti
Soldier Tells British Side of Story at Iraq Killings Inquiry -- New York Times/Reuters
Top-secret U.S. intelligence files show new levels of distrust of Pakistan -- Washington Post
Congress questions DND plans to buy fighter jets -- Rappler
Department of the Navy Prepares to Face New Challenges -- Defence Talk
Putting Retired ICBMs To Work -- Strategy Page
President Determined to Cap 2014 Military Pay -- Military.com
Expert: Possible DoD Firings ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ -- Military.com
Former seal: Transition to private contracting made sense -- UT San Diego
Special courts for veterans expanding across US -- AP
Medal of Honor recipient Ty Carter tours America -- Stars and Stripes
Inside The US Intelligence Community Edward Snowden Has Exposed -- Business insider
Fix These National Security Cracks: Intel Recruiting, Foreign Training, Pacific Pivot -- Breaking Defense
Drones Over Damascus: What Their Absence From the Syria Debate Means About Their Usefulness -- Audrey Kurth Cronin, Foreign Affairs
Sequestration’s self-inflicted wounds -- Leon Panetta, Washington Post
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