U.S. weapons reaching Syrian rebels

SALAH AL-ASHKAR/AFP/Getty Images - An opposition fighter fires a rocket propelled grenade during clashes with regime forces near Aleppo. A new phase of non-lethal U.S. assistance is ramping up as weapons supplied by the CIA have begun to trickle into Syria, according to opposition officials.

By Ernesto Londoño and Greg Miller, Wednesday, September 11, 8:30 PM

The CIA has begun delivering weapons to rebels in Syria, ending months of delay in lethal aid that had been promised by the Obama administration, according to U.S. officials and Syrian figures. The shipments began streaming into the country over the past two weeks, along with separate deliveries by the State Department of vehicles and other gear — a flow of material that marks a major escalation of the U.S. role in Syria’s civil war.

The arms shipments, which are limited to light weapons and other munitions that can be tracked, began arriving in Syria at a moment of heightened tensions over threats by President Obama to order missile strikes to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad for his alleged use of chemical weapons in a deadly attack near Damascus last month.

The arms are being delivered as the United States is also shipping new types of nonlethal gear to rebels. That aid includes vehicles, sophisticated communications equipment and advanced combat medical kits.

U.S. officials hope that, taken together, the weapons and gear will boost the profile and prowess of rebel fighters in a conflict that started about 21 / 2 years ago.

Although the Obama administration signaled months ago that it would increase aid to Syrian rebels, the efforts have lagged because of the logistical challenges involved in delivering equipment in a war zone and officials’ fears that any assistance could wind up in the hands of jihadists. Secretary of State John F. Kerry had promised in April that the nonlethal aid would start flowing “in a matter of weeks.”

The delays prompted several senior U.S. lawmakers to chide the Obama administration for not moving more quickly to aid the Syrian opposition after promising lethal assistance in June. The criticism has grown louder amid the debate over whether Washington should use military force against the Syrian regime, with some lawmakers withholding support until the administration committed to providing the rebels with more assistance.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who has pressed the Obama administration to do more to help the rebels, said he felt embarrassed when he met with Syrians along the Turkish border three weeks ago.

“It was humiliating,” he said in an interview Wednesday night. “The president had announced that we would be providing lethal aid, and not a drop of it had begun. They were very short on ammunition, and the weapons had not begun to flow.”

The latest effort to provide aid is aimed at supporting rebel fighters who are under the command of Gen. Salim Idriss, according to officials, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because part of the initiative is covert. Idriss is the commander of the Supreme Military Council, a faction of the disjointed armed opposition.

U.S. officials, speaking about the provision of nonlethal aid, said they are determined to increase the cohesion and structure of the rebel fighting units.

“This doesn’t only lead to a more effective force, but it increases its ability to hold coalition groups together,” said Mark S. Ward, the State Department’s senior adviser on assistance to Syria, who coordinates nonlethal aid to rebels from southern Turkey. “They see their leadership is having some impact.”

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  • AIDING AND ABETTING THE ENEMY OF THE USA IS TREASON, PERIOD! Hillary was helping out with giving OUR TAX$$ to the savages in 2011

  • It is as simple as what Carolyn says, IT IS AIDING AND ABETTING THE ENEMY, PURE TREASON. THAT IS ALL THE PROOF WE NEED.

  • Why is our military cooperating with the enemy?...and don't tell me 'just following orders.' Generals, what are you doing?
    • It's not 'cooperating'. IT IS LEADING THE SAVAGES! WITH OUR DAMN $$

  • Clean house.

  • We need to stop all foreign aid especially to our enemies!!! We need to contact the bikers and have the rest of the American Patriots march on Washington and Arrest obumer, biden reid and piglosi.  all of the damocrats and rinos, Try them for treason, then have a public hanging as a warning to the rest. The government is corrupt and evil and it is time for them to go.!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Good idea Gene Swank.  Have the bikers roll into town......do a citizens arrest.......

       

      Wait......does anyone know if you can perform a citizens arrest in DC?

  • Treason and I can't wait for the War Crime charges on all of them.

  • RESIST and then resist some more. That is what we are to do. Buy only American and stop the money going into their coffers, thats what we should. Then tell congress that the "fun and games are at and end" and we will not stand for any more of their treason and high crimes against US and the Constitution, that is what WE should do, amen.

    • Sadly, the American people will do nothing...He has been in office way too long now, wake up USA.....

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