Free Syrian Army fighters (Reuters/Muzaffar Salman)
Syrian Rebels See U.S. Abandoning Them -- Josh Rogin, Bloomberg
As Congress struggles to pass a bill to fund the government for the rest of the year, one curious and significant item was left on the cutting room floor: a request from the Barack Obama administration for $300 million to expand the secret CIA program to arm the “moderate” Syrian rebels.
The request, which administration officials had been lobbying for in recent weeks, was held up by the House Intelligence Committee, which has serious doubts about the Free Syrian Army and other rebel groups that for years have been receiving arms secretly from the U.S. and its allies, two administration officials told me. Without the money, Syrian opposition leaders say, the FSA will struggle to hold its remaining positions in northern Syria, much less make progress against Islamic State and the Bashar al-Assad regime.
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My Comment: In my opinion, they were abandoned a long time ago.
7 comments:
Of course, they've lost their usefulness to Washington. To get the Iranian deal Obama will probably soon come out in the open in support of Assad and direct military cooperation with the Syrian (Iranian) army. It will be so long nice knowing you Israel, Saudi Arabia, and some of the UAE, hope you enjoy the bus.
Moon of Alabama notes that the US has been quietly engaged in talks wil al Nusra, so it looks like Al Quida will be the new proxy Army for the US in Syria.
" Al Quida will be the new proxy Army for the US in Syria."
We'll see, I personally think Obama and Co. will go to overt support of Assad and Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah. It'll be their bid for a daily double of Iranian nuke deal and an Ukrainian settlement. To them the supposed benefits of such a volte face will outweigh and obscure the betrayal of people they previously supported.
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2014/12/another-overview-of-the-situation-in-syria.html#comments
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2014/12/httpsputniknewscommiddleeast201412071015591997html.html
Thank you for the links Jay.
For the Obama administration .... reconciliation with Iran has always been the prize. But are they prepared for blow-back from Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf sheikdoms, and other allies ... including Israel? I guess we shall see.
Abandoned? They were never supported in the first place, despite our public promises.
Very good point Nicholas.
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