Obama asks Congress for $500 million equip Syria rebels
Written by : Mohamed Abdel Fattah
Jun 27, 2014
The Obama administration has proposed Congress on Thursday to authorize $500 million in direct U.S. military training and equipment for Syrian opposition fighters.
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden announced on Thursday that the administration would seek the money that she said would build on "longstanding efforts" by the United States "to empower the moderate Syrian opposition."
"These funds would help defend the Syrian people, stabilize areas under opposition control, facilitate the provision of essential services, counter terrorist threats, and promote conditions for a negotiated settlement," she said.
The announcement came hours before the Syrian National Coalition, the opposition group afforded diplomatic status by the US, sacked the chief of staff of the Free Syrian Army, its military wing, over corruption allegations.
Previously, US aid to the Syrian opposition that is fighting dictator Bashar al-Assad focused on non-lethal provisioning, while the Central Intelligence Agency focused on sending small arms and missiles to what the US calls the "vetted" Syrian moderates.
But two senior U.S. officials said that the program will not begin until basic questions are resolved, such as whether the Pentagon has legal authority to train Syrian rebels.The request does not specify the type of military equipment that would be included.
The administration's budget request includes $1.5 billion for a "Regional Stabilization Initiative" that involves the Syrian opposition as well as neighboring countries Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
The U.S. has supported training in Jordan for Syrian forces and supplied nonlethal aid such as transportation, medical equipment and night-vision goggles.
The United States has already been operating covert programs to supply rebels with weapons, and is providing non-lethal aid to opposition groups, White pointed out. The rebels have also been supplied with U.S. TOW anti-tank missiles, though it is not clear if they are coming from the United States or another country.
Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin , however said that the US plan was a step in the wrong direction. “I am sure that it is possible to spend it for something more useful,” he said.
Meanwhile,Syrian government aircraft bombed Sunni militant targets inside Iraq on Tuesday.
At least 57 Iraqi civilians were killed and more than 120 others were wounded ,officials said.The attack marks the first serious involvement in the current Iraq crisis by President Bashar Assad’s regime.
Syrian warplanes that struck several border areas of Anbar province Tuesday,deepening the concerns that the extremist insurgency that spans the two neighboring countries could morph into an even wider regional conflict.
The United States confirmed that Syrian warplanes bombed militants' positions Tuesday in and near the Iraqi border crossing in the town of Qaim.
The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has said he "welcomed" air attacks by Syria against ISIL targets on Iraqi soil.
"There was no coordination involved, but we welcome this action. We welcome any Syrian strike ... because this group targets both Iraq and Syria ... But we didn't make any request from Syria. They carry out their strikes and we carry out ours. The final winners are our two countries," he said in the BBC interview.
Sources
usatoday.
CNN
latimes.
Jun 27, 2014
The Obama administration has proposed Congress on Thursday to authorize $500 million in direct U.S. military training and equipment for Syrian opposition fighters.
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden announced on Thursday that the administration would seek the money that she said would build on "longstanding efforts" by the United States "to empower the moderate Syrian opposition."
"These funds would help defend the Syrian people, stabilize areas under opposition control, facilitate the provision of essential services, counter terrorist threats, and promote conditions for a negotiated settlement," she said.
The announcement came hours before the Syrian National Coalition, the opposition group afforded diplomatic status by the US, sacked the chief of staff of the Free Syrian Army, its military wing, over corruption allegations.
Previously, US aid to the Syrian opposition that is fighting dictator Bashar al-Assad focused on non-lethal provisioning, while the Central Intelligence Agency focused on sending small arms and missiles to what the US calls the "vetted" Syrian moderates.
But two senior U.S. officials said that the program will not begin until basic questions are resolved, such as whether the Pentagon has legal authority to train Syrian rebels.The request does not specify the type of military equipment that would be included.
The administration's budget request includes $1.5 billion for a "Regional Stabilization Initiative" that involves the Syrian opposition as well as neighboring countries Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq.
The U.S. has supported training in Jordan for Syrian forces and supplied nonlethal aid such as transportation, medical equipment and night-vision goggles.
The United States has already been operating covert programs to supply rebels with weapons, and is providing non-lethal aid to opposition groups, White pointed out. The rebels have also been supplied with U.S. TOW anti-tank missiles, though it is not clear if they are coming from the United States or another country.
Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin , however said that the US plan was a step in the wrong direction. “I am sure that it is possible to spend it for something more useful,” he said.
Meanwhile,Syrian government aircraft bombed Sunni militant targets inside Iraq on Tuesday.
At least 57 Iraqi civilians were killed and more than 120 others were wounded ,officials said.The attack marks the first serious involvement in the current Iraq crisis by President Bashar Assad’s regime.
Syrian warplanes that struck several border areas of Anbar province Tuesday,deepening the concerns that the extremist insurgency that spans the two neighboring countries could morph into an even wider regional conflict.
The United States confirmed that Syrian warplanes bombed militants' positions Tuesday in and near the Iraqi border crossing in the town of Qaim.
The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has said he "welcomed" air attacks by Syria against ISIL targets on Iraqi soil.
"There was no coordination involved, but we welcome this action. We welcome any Syrian strike ... because this group targets both Iraq and Syria ... But we didn't make any request from Syria. They carry out their strikes and we carry out ours. The final winners are our two countries," he said in the BBC interview.
Sources
usatoday.
CNN
latimes.
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