Ya Libnan

U.S. to train Syrian rebels, sets $5 Bil. fund to fight terrorism

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syrian National coalition logoPresident Barack Obama will announce additional assistance to aid moderate Syrian rebels in their fight against the Assad regime, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.

Mr. Obama, in a commencement address on Wednesday at the United States Military Academy at West Point, will also propose a $5 billion fund to help countries fight terrorism, the White House said.

Critics of Mr. Obama’s Syria policy have long argued that he hasn’t done enough to help moderate rebels counter the regime of Bashar al-Assad or challenge the growing strength of al Qaeda militants.

Speaking on CBS, Mr. Kerry said Mr. Obama and the U.S. wouldn’t put American boots on the ground in Syria. “But, yes, he is going to ramp up efforts with allies in concert with the fundamental support group of both Arab communities and European communities who are committed to helping to stop the slaughter that is taking place in Syria,” Mr. Kerry said.

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported Mr. Obama is close to authorizing a mission led by the U.S. military to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight the regime and al Qaeda-linked groups, a move that would significantly expand Washington’s role in the conflict.

Mr. Kerry said the U.S. would work closely with Congress to provide additional assistance to the moderate opposition in Syria.

Any new initiative, which the president has been considering for months, would supplement a small train-and-equip program led by the Central Intelligence Agency. The training would be undertaken by U.S. special-operations forces, although it is unclear when it would begin.

Mr. Obama has been reluctant to intervene in Syria out of concern the U.S. would get drawn into another open-ended conflict in the Middle East. His change in policy is part of a broader effort to counter criticism that American power has waned on the world stage since he took office.

The White House is embarking on a new effort to explain Mr. Obama’s approach to foreign policy and national security issues after becoming frustrated that they are misunderstood.

One new initiative will be the planned $5 billion fund to help train non-U.S. forces “to take on this rising radical extremism that challenges rule of law in so many places,” Mr. Kerry said.

“We have to deal with this rapidly changing more complex world where terrorism is the principal challenge,” Mr. Kerry said.

WSJ

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168 responses to “U.S. to train Syrian rebels, sets $5 Bil. fund to fight terrorism”

  1. AkhouManUki Avatar
    AkhouManUki

    Bravo ya Obama – it’s time to step up your game and make Assad pay for his atrocities!

    1. man-o-war Avatar
      man-o-war

      Haha! A little too late, don’t you think? Some of the money will have to go to the ASSad government to fight Al Qaeda. If the US really wanted to put an end to this they could have done so a long time ago. They are much happier watching the two sides rip each other apart. It creates a concentration of extremist jihadist (easier to attack), occupies/weakens HA (Israel’s biggest threat), and it disrupts Syria ( part of the HA-Syria-Iran axis and weapons pipeline for HA). Why stop it? It’s win win for Israel and the US.

      1. AkhouManUki Avatar
        AkhouManUki

        Bravo ya Anwar! Fantastic conspiracy theory – it really makes sense.

        1. man-o-war Avatar
          man-o-war

          Anwar? Do you know an Anwar that goes by this disqus ID? Anyway Manuki, thank you for the compliment. Does it seem that far fetched to you? You don’t think governments play games like this all the time?
          Ukraine for example, Iran/Iraq war, Chile in the 70’s, and on and on. You think all those were conspiracy theories too, right? Maybe you should look into the history books for a bit. As they say, history repeats itself. Or do they, oooohhhhhh….

          BOO!!

          1. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            La2, shaklak shater bil conspiracy theories ya imm anwar. I’m glad to see that you are an educated man who likes to read and stay abreast of the context of today in history. Bravo 3aleyk!

        2. man-o-war Avatar
          man-o-war

          I saw that you’re one of my two followers on disqus. Interesting! Since when have you been following me? The other follower is a radical islamist that lives in Australia. I don’t think I’m comfortable with you following me.

          1. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Sounds like a new love story is developing on yalibnan
            best of luck the two of you
            let us know when the fist virtual child is born

          2. man-o-war Avatar
            man-o-war

            Thanks! Can I get you to come over and clean my virtual C@%#, its really dirty right now. After all, he’s a catcher just like you.

          3. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Tse tse tse

        3. MekensehParty Avatar
          MekensehParty

          For it to be a conspiracy the US and Israel should have planned the whole scenario to result in this outcome; which is not the case. It happened that all the enemies of the US are fighting each other in Syria and yes we’re not about to bring an end to a conflict that’s in our interest. We had multiple chances to tilt the balance but we didn’t. Even this last step, arming “moderates”, is meant to bring back the balance of forces after the influx of fighters from the shia world in favor of assad.
          It has always been a win win win win win win and we intend to keep it that way may it last 20 years.

          1. man-o-war Avatar
            man-o-war

            How are you so sure that it wasn’t planned? You think it just played out this way? How perfect!

          2. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            You can’t reason with her. She is impervious to reason.

          3. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Reason is not a word in dr. Maher’s brainwashing cd ergo where is she going to learn it?

          4. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            Wait, who’s Dr. Maher?

          5. MekensehParty Avatar
            MekensehParty

            Dr. Maher is the (secret) Minister of Propaganda in the Assad regime
            He writes the rhetoric used by the regime to explain what is happening on the ground as seen by the regime.
            He was (secretly) famous in 2011 when he coined the formula: “Every Syrian on the streets is now called a Terrorist” a term used by any other nation to declare hunting season open.
            The road since then has been hard and rough to “keep the rhetoric together” especially that Sana, Manar… his private tools, lost all credibility and Aljazeera (his old ally) turned against him (and lost all credibility).
            So to propagate his message, Dr. Maher invented the Propaganda Taskforce. He recruited the likes of Comtessa, Farq2 and a couple dozen more bloggers who are receptive of such ideas having grown in anti-Western “suburbs” and brainwashed the shit out of them! He paid for their internet and some coupons for cigarettes and unleashed them in the blogosphere to repeat the messages he writes.
            Now to keep them updated, every week Dr. Maher sends these kids an audio file of the new rhetoric that they play day and night for some 48 hours non-stop (updating the brain is a bitch), and suddenly you see them re-popping, refreshed and reassured by Dr. Maher’s words that victory is at hand and they repeat the sentences explaining the events they absorbed… You can notice how for instance Comtessa repeats endlessly Zionist-cia-mossad-m16 (yes dr.maher confused MI6 with M16 – he’s a Syrian ok?!)-takfiri-khaliji…, the recording probably got stuck one night and how Farq2 keeps repeating that “The majority of Syrians love bashar”…
            So, that’s Dr. Maher

          6. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Dr. Maher sounds awful – any chance Hezbollah are recruiting him to be our next president?

          7. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Good imagination, however what a load of khara.

        4. bypest Avatar
          bypest

          Look at the previous heads of the US State Department and then tell me that Israel doesn’t have a hand in US foreign policy: Albright, Rice, Ms. Clinton, Kerry. Albright is Jewish and Kerry, the current head, is half-Jewish (on the side of the father). They’re all Zionists.

          Certainly you agree that Israel wishes to divide and conquer the Levant. Where, then, is this “conspiracy?” Is it a “conspiracy” that Israel gives medical attention to terrorists in the occupied Golan? Such should remind you of the southern Christians in the Lebanese Civil War. First came Zionist medical aid, then arms. The Christians didn’t appeal for such aid, as neither the terrorists, but they got it anyway as it suited the Israeli interest to perpetuate war.

          Of course, Israeli armed support makes no sense at this juncture, where the US and its Arab allies are investing billions of dollars in the insurgency.

          1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            You’re an antisemite.

          2. bypest Avatar
            bypest

            You’re on YaLibnan. Many here are fluent in Arabic, a Semitic tongue, and are natives of the Levant — unlike the Jewish squatters in “Israel.”

            I understand that “antisemitic” has a nice ring to it, but, upon coinage, it was intended for use in Western political discussion. To avoid these complexities in the future, just call people like me “filthy goyim scum.”

      2. John Mc Avatar
        John Mc

        You nailed it. US Middle East policy is all about weakening the Arabs and strengthening Israel because the people behind the policies are zionists, regardless of the party in power.

        1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
          Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

          Being a ‘Zionist’ doesn’t simply mean that you support Israeli policies, it just means that you support the country’s right to continue to exist. Saudi is a big US ally and the US would rather upset anyone than Saudi or Jordan. Congress is Pro-Israel but the State Department is very Arabist.

    2. Farq2 Avatar
      Farq2

      By funding terrorist. The same terrorist the US are fighting in Afghanistan, the same terrorist US are killing with drones in Yemen and Pakistan. Yep, now that’s got be the best Idea I have ever heard. My friend, we all know that Assad is going nowhere. I think you and the rest on this blog really need to come to terms with that.

      1. AkhouManUki Avatar
        AkhouManUki

        Gone by 2015 – mark my words.

        1. Farq2 Avatar
          Farq2

          You remind me of some other bloggers who made similar predictions when this conflict first started. First it was the first month, then the next 6 months and so on and so forth. The big boys are playing here my friend and if they wanted Assad gone he would have been gone already. It’s that simple. You seem like a smart boy, I just can’t believe you can’t see it.

          1. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            The big boys are getting knocked off, one by one. 4 this past week. Get used to that sweat dripping down your neck – summer’s coming.

          2. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            LOL ….. Yes … away to the clothing-optional beaches !! Scotch-flask in hand. 🙂
            LOVE SUMMER !

          3. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            That sounds incredible – please pass the scotch!

          4. bypest Avatar
            bypest

            Billions of dollars invested, terrorists losing ground, but they managed to kill four important people! How many terrorist commanders have died, at that? I’ve seen dozens of reports these last months — they usually are caught by the SAF while sodomizing livestock in the fields.

          5. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            I don’t discriminate against gay people, but when people are gay for animals, I start to discriminate a little. I appreciate that you may have strong desires for four legged creatures, but it is best that you keep that on the DL! Just my $0.02

            I recall the SAF were the ones sodomizing our animals in Lebanon, so you might have your facts twisted ya bysexpest.

            The fact that so many “terrorists” have been killed according to your stellar reporting from SANA, and yet they still managed to kill four of Hezblabla’s super-elite commanders in one week makes it all the more real that Assad’s days are numbered. No matter how many “terrorists” he kills, more show up miraculously!

            I hope Assad is living each day like it’s his last!!

      2. The real lebanese Avatar
        The real lebanese

        You obviously have selective reading. He’s going to train MODERATE rebels to not only fight Assad, but al qaeda.

        1. Farq2 Avatar
          Farq2

          Oh, Moderate rebels. Is that the new word you clowns are using these days to justify your financing of these terrorist. Moderate. There’s no more MODERATES in Syria, only savages that want to eat your heart. Tell me Real, did the sleazy US call them moderates in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan. Perhaps it all depends on who’s your enemy and who’s not. Rebels in one country and terrorist in another.

          1. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            Its not the new word, its been the word since al qaeda started running its operations because Assad refused reform. The moderates in those countries were the governments. You cant call a regime that massacres its own civilians moderates. Assad has more terrorist traits than some of the weaker al qaeda groups so dont go thinking hes fighting terrorism when he is terrorist.

          2. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Yes Yes, I know, Assad is a terrorist, HA are terrorist, Iran are terrorist, Even Russia are terrorist. But not the good old US of A. They are peace makers who really give a fly F@#k about the middle east. Or should I say are more concerned with the oil the ME produces.

          3. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            I’ve never seen the US use chemical weapons or barrel bombs on civilians have you?? Although there was the occasional airstrike that killed a couple civilians in Yemen or Iraq, it is no where near Assad. You can deny it all you want, but I would say Syrians in commercial cities are more terrorized about a bomb dropping over their head than they are about Isis or Nusra. Therefore your terrorist claim is invalid.

          4. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Only a couple civilians. Oh, that’s ok, those civilians never had a mother or father or husband or wife. Only a couple civilians who wont be missed. I always thought a innocent life is a innocent life. And your rite, the US never used Chemical weapons, Only nuclear ones that killed a COUPLE of civilians. You really believing what you are saying?

          5. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            A couple civilians doesnt compare to the tens of thousands Assad has killed, many of whom had a husband or a wife or a mother or a father or children, you’re proving my point without realizing. As for the one time the US used the atomic bomb, it prevented a full scale invasion of fascist Japan that wouldve lost over a predicted 900,000 lives. The death toll was much lower and ended the threat of Japan bombing another US naval base while also ending ww2. Need anymore explaining?

          6. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Tens of thousands Assad has killed, According to who Real, Fox News, Aljeeza, CNN. and lets not forget Yalibnan. See below link and tell me Real, if what you are saying is true, would over 2,000.000 people in Damascus alone protest in favor of Assad. I can also show you the other millions around the country who also protested in favor of him if you like. But I guess you and rest of the good people on this blog with somehow find a way to say its all a fabrication.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5knmnBT-v7U

          7. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            Lol Damascus and Latakia are pretty much the only places that support Assad. Do you really think Assad has killed less than 10,000 with just his troops, not including Hezbollah, irgc, and Iraqi and Afghani Shiite militants?

          8. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Only Damascus and Latakia. HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa It wouldn’t matter what I show you. You will always find a spin on it when it comes to Assad, HA or Iran.

          9. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            But its true.

          10. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            If you require more proof let me know. I’d be more than happy to oblige.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZIcEFCV62I

          11. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            This is 2011. Assad has destroyed Aleppo since then. Barely anyone lives there anymore. The war map changes bud. I will need more proof lol,

          12. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            This just proves you have no idea what’s happening in Syria. Parts of Aleppo have destroyed. And those parts are the outskirts of the city close to the Turkish border. The main city is business as usual. Oh and BTW, our debate was whether or not other parts of the country supported Assad. And again you were proven wrong. BUD

          13. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            Almost all of Aleppo has been destroyed. It was almost completely evacuated last year or earlier this year . I dont think you know whats going on. Aleppo is one of the most destroyed cities in Syria. It is definitley not ‘business as usual.’

          14. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Well I’ll have you know you are far from correct. It’s only the outskirts That predominantly wore the brunt. I have spoken to several people who attended last weeks protest in Sydney supporting Assad. They told me they have family who live in Syria and said that most of what the main stream media dishes out is a load of shit. But what would they know. Rite.

          15. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            http://www.policymic.com/articles/87343/then-and-now-photos-show-what-aleppo-looked-like-before-it-was-destroyed-by-civil-war

            Also google map Aleppo . Most of the city has apparent damage from Airstrikes. And what would they know. They live in Australia and are proAssad. They, just like you, will believe anything just to not accept what Assad has done.

          16. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            So the damage in Aleppo is from air strikes only. I take it you conveniently forgot to mention all the suicide attacks and the damage from your MODERATE rebels with their high tech weapons that have been supplied to them by their western and abab backers. And let guess Real, I suppose you still believe that all the peopls who have lost their lives in Syria is also at the hand of the regime. Rite.

          17. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            Aleppo hasn’t had much suicide attacks. Remember when it was under siege by your glorious Assad and co. They trapped everyone in the city and started bombing the $h!t out of it. Dont you remember when the human rights watch group tried to do something about it but Russia just vetoed in the UN? I dont think this was more than a month ago.

            Btw siucide attacks and little radios from the US dont level whole neighborhoods.

          18. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            You aren’t making sense again ya Farqrallah – repeating the same point over again x10 does not make it any more clear

          19. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            I’m making plenty of sense. It must be your old age which is preventing you from seeing. Put your glasses on pops, you might see better. Now give me my f@#king lolly pop

          20. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            You clearly suffer from having piss poor parenting. Perhaps a couple of slaps will smack some sense into you? 😉

          21. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Lets not start with family attacks. We may disagree with each other and we may have a joke every now and again, However I ask that you please not go there. You don’t know me or my parents. So don’t judge me or them.

          22. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            I respect you for such a strong response ya Farq2. Good for you for standing up for your parents. You made this granddad proud.

          23. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Thank you. I’m still waiting for my lolly pop however

          24. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Follow this recipe for your lollipop:
            Step one – get a toothpick
            Step two – stick it in one of your balls
            Step three – sa7tayn!

          25. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            I have no access to my balls as they are deep in your throat. When you decide to stop gargling on them, then I will follow your great recipe. In the meantime enjoy.

          26. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            “I have no access to my balls” – Sayyed Farqrallah
            Thank you for confirming a suspicion I have held for quite some time now. I hate to sound like I knew this was the case all along, but I kind of did. Everything is starting to make sense – it’s time to reclaim your balls and get brave, stop letting the yellow fever dominate you.

          27. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            They used chemical weapons in Vietnam of course. Most states have some blood on their hands. In particular, powerful states are not blameless, none of them. However, you have to think about whom you’d prefer to have power from the options available. I think that the US, for all its faults, is a better example than Russia or China.

          28. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Well Adam, thankyou for your honestly. At least you can see the truth unlike some people. However I have to disagree with you last sentence. I personally think all super powers are full of shit. Especially the US. Just my humble opinion.

          29. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            Full of shit perhaps but democratic and pluralist domestically nonetheless.

          30. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Only on the surface my friend, only on the surface. -:))))

          31. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            I’d prefer to say ‘relatively’ so to its rivals. Compare the USA to Iran, Saudi, Syria, Russia and then drop me a reply. 🙂

          32. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            I never said they were better Adam. Plus our conversation was about the leaders, not the country. And speaking of countries. You do realize that the mighty US is in turmoil at the moment. High poverty rate, High unemployment, And a joke in the political arena.

          33. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            True enough but that’s the difference. The USA’s value isn’t merely defined by it’s present leader but by it’s democratic regime. The people can change the leader and the system has checks and balances.

          34. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Ya Farqrallah, you are growing old and sloppy in your arguments – just because the bravest boys on the planet aka hezblabla are guerrilla fighters, doesn’t mean you have to adopt an unstructured way of communicating.

            Btw, where do you live?

          35. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Below is a gift for you. Now this is a wise man. I guess I should listen to the few blind people on this blog instead of him. And I’m sure you will call him brainwashed as well.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_iH5aMVt2w

          36. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Yeah dude, that’s old news. Just because the guy has a British accent, doesn’t mean he somehow has credibility. Why are you so ignorant to believe an Englishman over your fellow Lebanese. Clearly you are a patriot!

          37. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            It is rather a buzz word these days but there is an official definition. It doesn’t include state actors. One may say that they are using terrorist style tactics but it isn’t technically correct to call states or their institutions terrorists.

          38. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Raw2li 3asabak ya Farqrallah – if you are looking for the furthest departure from moderate, look at the assclown/ASSad and his sidekick hassouni.

          39. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Is that your best come back. Ya Haram.

          40. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            I don’t waste my time with the best, you haven’t earned it yet 😉

          41. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Spoken like a true stuck up Lebo.

          42. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Ya Farqrallah, your arguments are becoming increasingly juvenile – I can help you grow up when you are ready to face reality

          43. Farq2 Avatar
            Farq2

            Ok, I’m ready. What will the first lesson be. Oh Oh, I know, how to hate HA for no reason.

      3. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
        Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

        Essentially, the war is terrorists verses war criminals.

  2. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
    Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

    The fact that people have to associated everything with Zionism goes to show that they are living in pre-WWII Europe or perhaps before that. To believe that a Jewish or pro-Jewish conspiracy is behind everything is antisemitic.

  3. Leborigine Avatar
    Leborigine

    Great to see everyone still talking and defending that Shithole (with a capital S) syria! Why are you guys so passionate about it if you are not syrian! syria is nothing but a wasteland!

  4. 1Woman Avatar
    1Woman

    Assad’s forces killed 3,000+ people in May – an average of ten children a day. If Obama gave a damn he’d actually deliver anti-aircraft weapons not more training. He’s sending Maliki in Iraq drones, helicopter gunships, missiles – no training though, but then Maliki’s pilots seem able to carry out attacks on Assad’s behalf in Syria with the helicopter gunships without it…
    Those who keep repeating after three years and counting that Obama and co really, really do want Assad gone presumably also believe that he really really does want to help Arab people to attain freedom coz he said so in his Cairo speech in 2009, and American presidents never ever lie…

    http://www.aa.com.tr/en/headline/338619–over-3-000-killed-in-syria-in-may

    1. Farq2 Avatar
      Farq2

      Ah the opposition activist. Then it must be true, hey woman. Are these the same opposition that also claim that Assad used chemical weapons when in fact there is ample evidence that it was them the scum opposition that were caught in Turkey with chemical weapons, the same chemical weapon used in the attack that Assad was blamed for, or the same opposition that drugs it followers then tells them to strap a bomb to their body and pull the button taking with then innocent people who also happen to women and children. Or maybe its the opposition that rapes women and little girls because some low life cleric issued a fatwa telling them God permits it. Yep, the opposition activist have a lot of credibility.

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