US decides to arm rebels, set up no fly zone inside Syria

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obama , syriaPresident Barack Obama authorized his administration to provide arms to rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, officials said Thursday, a major policy shift after the White House said it had confirmed that Damascus used chemical weapons in the country’s civil war.

The classified order directing the Central Intelligence Agency to coordinate arming the rebels in concert with its allies reverses a long-standing policy that limited the U.S. to providing nonlethal support.

The White House declined to comment on the authorization, saying only that Mr. Obama had decided to ramp up “military support” to moderate rebels both in “scope and scale.”

U.S. officials also told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the U.S. military proposal for arming the rebels also calls for a limited no-fly zone inside Syria that would be enforced by U.S. and allied planes on Jordanian territory to protect Syrian refugees and rebels who would train there.

U.S. officials also told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the U.S. military proposal for arming the rebels also calls for a limited no-fly zone inside Syria that would be enforced by U.S. and allied planes on Jordanian territory to protect Syrian refugees and rebels who would train there.

Such a move, if the White House goes ahead, would represent a significantly bigger U.S. engagement in Syria’s civil war.

The developments followed a series of high level meetings at the White House and consultations with allies in which officials discussed the intelligence findings and proposals for arming the rebels.

U.S. officials said the issue divided Mr. Obama’s national security team but that the administration faced little choice other than to step up its support or risk watching as rebels lose still more ground to a resurgent Assad regime backed by Russia, Iran and soldiers from the militant Hezbollah group.

Rebels requested specific weapons to hold off Mr. Assad’s forces and Hezbollah fighters who are closing in on rebel positions in the city of Aleppo, the Journal reported Wednesday. The head of Syria’s opposition Supreme Military Council, or SMC, issued a plea to U.S. officials and others for arms.

Ben Rhodes, the White House Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, said the U.S. has concluded that forces loyal to the Syrian regime have used chemical weapons against rebels, resulting in up to 150 deaths.

The U.S. determination came the same day the United Nations reported that the number of deaths in the 27-month conflict has surpassed 90,000.

The assessment on chemical weapons was based in part on laboratory analysis of physical samples taken from Syria, Mr. Rhodes said. He referred to the use of chemical weapons as a “red line” and said it has changed Mr. Obama’s calculus about U.S. involvement in the conflict.

In April, the White House notified Congress that U.S. intelligence agencies believed with “varying degrees of confidence” that Mr. Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons, including sarin gas, in limited quantities.

In the two months that followed, the U.S. came under heavy pressure from allies Britain and France to make a clear-cut determination. While U.S. officials initially voiced doubts, Britain and France said early on that they were more certain chemical weapons had been used.

On Thursday, Mr. Rhodes said the U.S. now “has high confidence in that assessment given multiple, independent streams of information.”

The U.S. findings about chemical-weapons use were shared with Russia, part of a U.S. effort to get Moscow to cut support to Mr. Assad. The U.S. ramp-up will be a key issue at a gathering of leaders of the Group of 8 leading countries in Ireland next week.

Mr. Rhodes highlighted four instances in which the U.S. believes chemical weapons were used: on March 19 in the Aleppo suburb of Khan Al-Asal; April 13 in the Aleppo neighborhood of Sheikh Maksud; May 14, in Qasr Abu Samra, which is north of Homs; and on May 23 in an attack in eastern Damascus.

Officials said the White House has yet to decide what types of arms the U.S. will provide to the rebels. The rebels have asked for antitank missiles and antiaircraft weapons known as Manpads, as well as for large amounts of ammunition for small arms.

U.S. officials have made clear the White House is unlikely to provide Manpads to the rebels because of concerns they could be turned against civilian aircraft. But the U.S. hasn’t ruled out providing antitank weapons and small arms. Officials say European allies have expressed a willingness to provide Manpads and potentially other heavier weapons sought by rebels.

“The red line has been crossed and now we are going to go ahead with arming the opposition,” a senior U.S. official said.

“The red line has been crossed and now we are going to go ahead with arming the opposition,” a senior U.S. official said.

The move is an about-face by Mr. Obama, who last year blocked a proposal backed by then-Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to arm the rebels. At the time, Mr. Obama voiced concerns that arms could end up in the hands of Islamists battling Mr. Assad.

But administration officials who favored providing arms said the White House believes it has a clearer picture today of the opposition and confidence that sufficient safeguards can be put in place to prevent U.S. weapons from reaching Islamist fighters aligned with al Qaeda.

More important, officials say, the White House was moved by concerns that Mr. Assad’s forces and thousands of Hezbollah fighters may be poised for an assault on Aleppo that would deal such a serious blow to moderate rebel forces that it will be hard for them to regroup and bounce back.

U.S. officials say weapons and training will likely be delivered to the rebels inside Jordan, a key ally that has been overwhelmed by a flood of refugees from Syria and has offered the U.S. use of its bases to help set up a safe zone along the Syrian border.

U.S. military planners, responding to a request by the White House to develop options for Syria, recommended the limited no-fly zone along the Syrian border to protect rebels and refugees inside Jordan.

The plan would create what one official called a “no fighting zone” that would stretch up to 25 miles into Syrian territory along the Jordanian border, preventing Mr. Assad’s forces from launching attacks against the rebels and refugees and protecting U.S. personnel involved in distributing weapons and providing training.

Under this plan, the U.S. and its allies would enforce the zone using aircraft flown from Jordanian bases and flying inside the kingdom, according to U.S. officials.

Jordan has been inundated by a flood of refugees that Jordanian and U.S. officials say is a growing threat to the kingdom, a key U.S. ally in the region.

The U.S. has already moved Patriot air defense batteries and F-16 fighter planes to Jordan, which could be integral to any no-fly zone if Mr. Obama approves the military proposal.

Proponents of the proposal think a no-fly zone could be imposed without a U.N. Security Council resolution, since the U.S. would not regularly enter Syrian airspace and wouldn’t hold Syrian territory.

U.S. planes have air-to-air missiles that could destroy Syrian planes from long ranges. But officials said that aircraft may be required to enter Syrian air space if threatened by advancing Syrian planes. Such an incursion by the U.S., if it were to happen, could be justified as self-defense, officials say.

Creating even a limited buffer zone that Syrian airplanes cannot enter will be expensive, costing an estimated $50 million a day, officials said.

Republican lawmakers were quick to praise the increase in aid.

Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona said in a joint statement: “The president’s red line has been crossed. U.S. credibility is on the line. Now is not the time to merely take the next incremental step. Now is the time for more decisive actions.”

WSJ

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40 responses to “US decides to arm rebels, set up no fly zone inside Syria”

  1. dateam Avatar

    Turkish security forces found a 2kg cylinder with sarin gas after searching the homes of Syrian militants from the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Nusra Front who were previously detained, Turkish media reports. The gas was reportedly going to be used in a bomb.

    The sarin gas was found in the homes of suspected Syrian Islamists detained in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersia following a search by Turkish police on Wednesday, reports say. The gas was allegedly going to be used to carry out an attack in the southern Turkish city of Adana.

    On Monday, Turkish special anti-terror forces arrested 12 suspected members of the Al-Nusra Front, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group which has been dubbed “the most aggressive and successful arm” of the Syrian rebels. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in December.

    Police also reportedly found a cache of weapons, documents and digital data which will be reviewed by police.

    Following the searches, five of those detained were released following medical examinations at the Forensic Medicine Institution Adana. Seven suspects remain in custody. Turkish authorities are yet to comment on the arrests. RT 30.05.13

    1. AntiFSA Avatar

      Dateam, what the hell are you talking about. The US have used the same intelligence they used when they attacked Iraq claiming that Saddam had WMD. OK, they got that wrong, however surely they must be on the money this time. Shouldn’t they. If this information you speak of came from RT, then it must be wrong. rite. Only western owned media tells the truth.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Of course. :-)) But do they ‘own’ France and England?

        1. dateam Avatar

          France is too busy..their fighting islamists in mali and arming them in syria…their confused at the moment…the english are too busy the ashes is about to start.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            I thought England was swinging pretty well, actually. Like a pendulum do. 🙂
            The French are weirdly worried about ‘gays’. Stupid religions again, of course. :-))

          2. dateam Avatar

            Well France has admitted over 200 french citizens are in syria fighting….what are they fighting for democracy? the english are also concerned with the amount of british citizens that are also in syria fighting as well…makes you wonder how messed up some people must be to be brought up in democratic countries and want to go backwards and run off to a foreign country and fight for some supposed cause that a preacher whose payed to instill in their heads….

          3. master09 Avatar
            master09

            They should all go back to fight good on them. Lol send them all to the one place and bang more women for me yeh.

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Well dateam … if they are not Muslim-whatevers or Syrian/Arab-whatevers, then they are mercenaries … and we spoke about those before. Some just like to fight. Or make $ doing it. Mercenaries have often joined battles anywhere. Sometimes called ‘irregulars’ or ‘legionaries’ who make up their own fighting units too. That American 2nd Amendment was made for those, actually, at a time when rich private citizens made up their own armies because there was was no unified ‘country’ paying taxes for ‘regular’ armies … and some might really believe in what they are doing. Humans are weird. 😉
            In ‘peace-times’ they go to carnivals and win prizes at ‘shooting-galleries’. :-)))
            Addendum:
            Did you notice how fast the Algerians were to say that ‘Canadians’ had been with the Al-Shishkabobs attacking an oil-terminal?? (Although it took quite a while to produce the ‘evidence’ of a ‘passport’.)
            Do you think those 2 idiots represented all Canadians?
            Did they even LOOK like Canadians?

          5. daiber Avatar

            yu no like gay mr. religion good mr boom boom religion no good mr salafites and zioniste no goo mr

          6. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Dab .. Gays do bang-bang, but not boom-boom. 😉 Is ok with me if they want that – just keep them out of my Scotch Kilt. Ok? 😉
            Salafites, Zionists, Christian-right and Wahhabi-Bobbies can go away too.
            You want a religion, keep it to yourself.

      2. dateam Avatar

        Of course…all you can do is dig deep enough and put it out there….intelligent people can make up their own minds…

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yup …. going to be tricky keeping ANTI-freedom people separate from those who want it.
      But seriously …. too many refugees is too many. Let them have a real ‘go’ at it. 😉

    3. wargame1 Avatar
      wargame1

      In politics there is interest but no friendship no emotion. When interest shifts there will be no effect of false flag operation. The world knows Bashar Al-Qaeda has chemical weapon. Where did the rebel get it from? Well its a interesting time and in this time the desparate people do desparate act. Iran and Bashar might try to manufacture false flag operation to frame the rebel but when the interest shif those action will backfire. Do you anticipate some “shock and Awe” on Iran?

      1. dateam Avatar

        I have absolutely no idea what you are saying?

  2. dateam Avatar

    Turkish security forces found a 2kg cylinder with sarin gas after searching the homes of Syrian militants from the Al-Qaeda linked Al-Nusra Front who were previously detained, Turkish media reports. The gas was reportedly going to be used in a bomb.

    The sarin gas was found in the homes of suspected Syrian Islamists detained in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersia following a search by Turkish police on Wednesday, reports say. The gas was allegedly going to be used to carry out an attack in the southern Turkish city of Adana.

    On Monday, Turkish special anti-terror forces arrested 12 suspected members of the Al-Nusra Front, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group which has been dubbed “the most aggressive and successful arm” of the Syrian rebels. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in December.

    Police also reportedly found a cache of weapons, documents and digital data which will be reviewed by police.

    Following the searches, five of those detained were released following medical examinations at the Forensic Medicine Institution Adana. Seven suspects remain in custody. Turkish authorities are yet to comment on the arrests. RT 30.05.13

    1. AntiFSA Avatar

      Dateam, what the hell are you talking about. The US have used the same intelligence they used when they attacked Iraq claiming that Saddam had WMD. OK, they got that wrong, however surely they must be on the money this time. Shouldn’t they. If this information you speak of came from RT, then it must be wrong. rite. Only western owned media tells the truth.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Of course. :-))

        1. dateam Avatar

          France is too busy..their fighting islamists in mali and arming them in syria…their confused at the moment…the english are too busy the ashes is about to start.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            I thought England was swinging pretty well, actually. Like a pendulum do. 🙂
            The French are weirdly worried about ‘gays’. Stupid religions again, of course. :-))

          2. dateam Avatar

            Well France has admitted over 200 french citizens are in syria fighting….what are they fighting for democracy? the english are also concerned with the amount of british citizens that are also in syria fighting as well…makes you wonder how messed up some people must be to be brought up in democratic countries and want to go backwards and run off to a foreign country and fight for some supposed cause that a preacher whose payed to instill in their heads….

          3. master09 Avatar
            master09

            They should all go back to fight good on them. Lol send them all to the one place and bang more women for me yeh.

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Well dateam … if they are not Muslim-whatevers or Syrian/Arab-whatevers, then they are mercenaries … and we spoke about those before. Some just like to fight. Or make $ doing it. Mercenaries have often joined battles anywhere. Sometimes called ‘irregulars’ or ‘legionaries’ who make up their own fighting units too. That American 2nd Amendment was made for those, actually, at a time when rich private citizens made up their own armies because the was was no unified ‘country’ paying taxes for ‘regular’ armies … and some might really believe in what they are doing. Humans are weird. 😉

          5. daiber Avatar

            yu no like gay mr. religion good mr boom boom religion no good mr salafites and zioniste no goo mr

          6. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Dab .. Gays do bang-bang, but not boom-boom. 😉 Is ok with me if they want that – just keep them out of my Scotch Kilt. Ok? 😉
            Salafites, Zionists, Christian-right and Wahhabi-Bobbies can go away too.

      2. dateam Avatar

        Of course…all you can do is dig deep enough and put it out there….intelligent people can make up their own minds…

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Yup …. going to be tricky keeping ANTI-freedom people separate from those who want it.
      But seriously …. too many refugees is too many. Let them have a real ‘go’ at it. 😉

    3. wargame1 Avatar
      wargame1

      In politics there is interest but no friendship no emotion. When interest shifts there will be no effect of false flag operation. The world knows Bashar Al-Qaeda has chemical weapon. Where did the rebel get it from? Well its a interesting time and in this time the desparate people do desparate act. Iran and Bashar might try to manufacture false flag operation to frame the rebel but when the interest shif those action will backfire. Do you anticipate some “shock and Awe” on Iran?

      1. dateam Avatar

        I have absolutely no idea what you are saying?

  3. ghzayel Avatar

    finally the world is waking up and starting to realize it is about time to stop assad from butchering his own people

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Although, if he takes out a few more of the crazies in the meantime, we won’t complain.

  4. ghzayel Avatar

    finally the world is waking up and starting to realize it is about time to stop assad from butchering his own people

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Although, if he takes out a few more of the crazies in the meantime, we won’t complain.

  5. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    The no-fly zone inside Syria is going to be a big blow to the regime and they won’t be able to attack places in Lebanon too. This US decision came perfectly timed after this regime has attacked the Lebanese territory (Arsal) in the past few days. Great News ! So soon we may see American warships facing the coast.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I know some folks in Tripoli who would like a boat-ride out of the place. American preferred – but they get confused by flags – don’t want to step on the wrong deck and end up with Vodka.

  6. Constantin7 Avatar
    Constantin7

    The no-fly zone inside Syria is going to be a big blow to the regime and they won’t be able to attack places in Lebanon too. This US decision came perfectly timed after this regime has attacked the Lebanese territory (Arsal) in the past few days. Great News ! So soon we may see American warships facing the coast.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I know some folks in Tripoli who would like a boat-ride out of the place. American preferred – but they get confused by flags – don’t want to step on the wrong deck and end up with Vodka.

  7. Arming the rebels is a stupid move, it will back fire (almost always does). If you really want to help the rebels, send in real help!

  8. Arming the rebels is a stupid move, it will back fire (almost always does). If you really want to help the rebels, send in real help!

  9. TC.ARNAVUTKADRİ Avatar
    TC.ARNAVUTKADRİ

    TC Hakan Adigüzel Kimyasal bahane!
    Aslında kimyasal silahların muhalif rte’nin kankaları, kâtil grupları tarafından kullanıldığı AB (Carla del Ponte açıklaması) den geçen haftalarda açıklanmıştı.
    Nobel barış ödülü sahibi, eli baseball sopalı, el teyyipin yöneticisi gerçekleri belirliyor.
    Aynı Irağı parçalamak için başlattıkları son savaşta “weapons of mass destruction” bulacağız deyip saldırdıkları gibi.
    Bu emperyalizimle ortaklık yapanlar kahrolsun.
    Sakın ha Mehmetçiğin temiz kanını bu proje için döktürmeye kalkmasın el teyyip.
    Zaaten Libyada emperyalizme destek olduğu gibi.
    Neticede petrolün Muhammar al Gaddafi altında 98% Libyada kalırken şimdi 30% fransaya akıyor.
    Reyhanlıda savaşa bahane olarak el nusranın bombalamasına fırsat veren bu yobaz takunyacılar, yeterince kan döktüler bile.
    Red Hack’in ortaya çıkardığı belgelere göre olaydan 3 gün önce TSK alarm vermiş. AKePe(kk) omursamamış.
    Birde “Essedin adamları yaptı” demişti eşbaşkan.
    Suriye ordusuna karşı duramayan kâtil grupları resmen artık şii ve alevi köylerinde katliyamlar yapmakta olduğunu bugün sky news bile belirtti.
    Yazık, yine emperyalizm ve onun ortağı eşbaşkan mazlum müslüman Halklara saldırıyor.
    Bunlarda dinci diye cahil Türk lerden seçiliyor.

  10. TC.ARNAVUTKADRİ Avatar
    TC.ARNAVUTKADRİ

    TC Hakan Adigüzel Kimyasal bahane!
    Aslında kimyasal silahların muhalif rte’nin kankaları, kâtil grupları tarafından kullanıldığı AB (Carla del Ponte açıklaması) den geçen haftalarda açıklanmıştı.
    Nobel barış ödülü sahibi, eli baseball sopalı, el teyyipin yöneticisi gerçekleri belirliyor.
    Aynı Irağı parçalamak için başlattıkları son savaşta “weapons of mass destruction” bulacağız deyip saldırdıkları gibi.
    Bu emperyalizimle ortaklık yapanlar kahrolsun.
    Sakın ha Mehmetçiğin temiz kanını bu proje için döktürmeye kalkmasın el teyyip.
    Zaaten Libyada emperyalizme destek olduğu gibi.
    Neticede petrolün Muhammar al Gaddafi altında 98% Libyada kalırken şimdi 30% fransaya akıyor.
    Reyhanlıda savaşa bahane olarak el nusranın bombalamasına fırsat veren bu yobaz takunyacılar, yeterince kan döktüler bile.
    Red Hack’in ortaya çıkardığı belgelere göre olaydan 3 gün önce TSK alarm vermiş. AKePe(kk) omursamamış.
    Birde “Essedin adamları yaptı” demişti eşbaşkan.
    Suriye ordusuna karşı duramayan kâtil grupları resmen artık şii ve alevi köylerinde katliyamlar yapmakta olduğunu bugün sky news bile belirtti.
    Yazık, yine emperyalizm ve onun ortağı eşbaşkan mazlum müslüman Halklara saldırıyor.
    Bunlarda dinci diye cahil Türk lerden seçiliyor.

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