CIA starts arming Syrian rebels overtly

[Cebu_4_2]

CIA starts arming Syrian rebels overtly Published time: September 12, 2013 11:37 Get short URL (http://rt.com/usa/us-weapons-syrian-rebels-745/)

http://rt.com/files/news/20/68/90/00/us-weapons-syrian-rebels.si.jpg A Free Syrian Army fighter (Reuters/Yazan Homsy)






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In the past two weeks the US has reportedly begun delivering arms to militants fighting the Syrian government. Washington expects the CIA to monitor the delivery so that the aid does not end up in the hands of Al-Qaeda associates.
According to the Washington Post report, after months of promises (http://rt.com/news/friends-syria-istanbul-us-152/) to provide aid (http://rt.com/news/cia-arms-smuggling-syria-796/) to Syrian rebels in an ‘official’ manner, Washington has finally sanctioned open delivery of arms and munitions to anti-Assad forces - despite fears that some of the weapons could end up in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists.
Already back in April the US Secretary of State John Kerry promised that official ‘nonlethal’ aid would start flowing “in a matter of weeks.”
In May the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations had passed a bill (http://rt.com/usa/senate-arm-syrian-rebels-609/) that would allow, if signed, the Obama administration to supply arms to Syrian opposition. However, in reality it took months before the Obama administration made up its mind.
The biggest hindrance for Washington to aid Syrian rebels has always been the ever growing presence of Al-Qaeda jihadists (http://rt.com/news/qaeda-militants-kill-fsa-commander-979/) among rebel ranks.

In the end the decision was made at a time when President Barack Obama was considering missile strikes on sovereign Syrian state pursuing the aim of ousting President Bashar Assad.
So far there has been no official comment from the CIA.
The lethal aid is primarily being channeled to fighters subordinate to General Salim Idriss, the commander of the Supreme Military Council of the rebel forces who defected from the Syrian Army last year. This faction of dissociated armed opposition groups is considered to be smaller evil if compared to other jihadist militant units with proven links to internationally recognized terrorist organizations, such as Al-Nusra Front, which is associated with the Iraqi branch of Al-Qaeda.
The CIA controls and tracks the delivery of reportedly light weapons and other munitions via countries bordering Syria, such as Turkey and Jordan. The US State Department has its own separate program of delivering vehicles and other non-lethal gear, such as communication equipment, advanced combat medical kits and high-calorie food packets to the Syrian opposition forces using the same supply channels.
“The Supreme Military Council is receiving so little support that any support we receive is a relief,” Khaled Saleh, a spokesman for the Syrian Opposition Coalition, is reported as saying.
Two-and-a-half years of ongoing bloodshed in Syria has not given a decisive advantage to either side of the conflict. In this situation American aid could give the Syrian armed rebel forces an upper hand over the government troops on the battlefield. Also, the US officials admit, the weapons supply should cheer up the rebel troops that have been suffering massive losses lately.
“They see their leadership is having some impact,” told the Washington Post the State Department’s senior adviser on assistance to Syria Mark S. Ward, responsible for coordination of nonlethal aid delivery to the Syrian rebels from Turkey.

[Hatha Sunahara]

And we will see the Russians arming Assad's army with even more advanced weapons. This is a proxy war, just like the Spanish civil war was with Hitler arming the Franco Phalangist Fascists, and Stalin arming the republican side. One very large difference. In Spain, the combatants on both sides were Spaniards. In Syria, the Syrian Army is Syrian, the 'Rebels' are mercenaries paid by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and probably by some black budget of the US government. Saudi Arabia sent some 1500 death row inmates to fight in Syria--serious criminals--promising them freedom if they survive. This is a very dirty war that the US needs to stay out of for more reasons than can be posted here.


Hatha

[Horn]

This is a very dirty war that the US needs to stay out of for more reasons than can be posted here.


Hatha

On MSM it is told that the U.S. purchases those arms from China to supply, as if they are only half guilty.

To me it only sounds twice as dumb.

[Hatha Sunahara]

Congress just eagerly avoided voting on 'authorizing' Obama to militarily intervene in Syria's civil war. They are truly caught between a rock and a hard spot. Their 'sponsors', the Zionists and the Military Industrial Complex, the Security Industrial Complex, and the bankers all want war badly, and the American people overwhelmingly want to stay out of any more wars. Whichever way they vote is a losing proposition. So, the status quo goes on--the government does as it pleases and pretends the American people approve of whatever they do.

Maybe the world already knows our government is out of control--hijacked by psychopaths. We are collectively responsible if we don't actively try to restrain our government from doing things in our name that are not our will.

Hatha

[ShortJohnSilver]

Question: why is OK for the CIA to give these large-caliber weapons to non-USA citizens, but it is illegal for me to own such weapons? Think about that.

[midnight rambler]

Question: why is OK for the CIA to give these large-caliber weapons to non-USA citizens, but it is illegal for me to own such weapons? Think about that.

Because YOU are not being a helpful and useful tool dealing out death and destruction for the Death Cult, however I'm quite sure they'd accommodate you if you signed up with 'em. I betcha there's one of their recruiting stations somewhere near you if you're really wanting to play with* all the kewl toys they have while blowing up people and stuff.

*death and destruction is a condition of getting to use all the kewl toys

[Horn]

That should be something for the U.N. to decide, just what caliber & spread constitutes a WMD. Not whether or not it is viable for one country or person to go to war with another, or removing all weapons from the populace at large. If your going to set universal standards they should be applicable to everyone and state entity, and much easier to pass through legislation.

Anyone caught using anything larger than a .308 at at a certain rate from a single person or craft, would be placed under their embargo.