Obama asks Congress for $500m to train, equip moderate Syrian rebels

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FSAPresident Barack Obama has asked the US Congress to approve $500m (£294m) to train and equip what he described as “moderate” Syrian opposition forces.

The funds would help Syrians defend against forces aligned with President Bashar al-Assad, the White House said.

The aid would also counter Islamist militants such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), it added.

Isis’s advance in neighbouring Iraq has led some in Congress to press Mr Obama to take action.

Tens of thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced in three years of civil war in Syria, as rebels fight troops loyal to Mr Assad.

‘Increase our support’
“This funding request would build on the administration’s longstanding efforts to empower the moderate Syrian opposition, both civilian and armed,” the White House said.

It will also “enable the Department of Defense to increase our support to vetted elements of the armed opposition”.

The money will help stabilise areas under opposition control and counter terrorist threats, the White House said.

The rebels that would receive the funds would be vetted beforehand in order to alleviate concerns of equipment falling into the hands of militants hostile to the US and its allies, the White House said.

Mr Obama has been under strong pressure from some members of Congress to increase assistance in the area.

Last month Mr Obama hinted at increased help for the Syrian opposition in a speech at the military academy at West Point.

He said he would work with Congress to “ramp up support for those in the Syrian opposition who offer the best alternative to terrorists and a brutal dictator”.

BBC

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133 responses to “Obama asks Congress for $500m to train, equip moderate Syrian rebels”

  1. Sex-Jihad: “Islamic
    State of Iraq and the Levant”, seized a number of towns and cities in
    Iraq, require from population on territories under their control to give them all
    unmarried women

    1. arzatna1 Avatar
      arzatna1

      The article is very clear that the aid will go to the moderate Syrian rebels who will be vetted beforehand and not to the extremists . As you may know the moderate Free Syrian Amy has been battling Extremist group ISIS/ISIL for over a year

      1. Are you really that gullible, Do you really believe what the US says. And people call me brainwashed.

  2. And as usual, the mighty US of A wants to contribute to more destruction around the world instead of feeding it’s 40 plus % of people who are living in poverty. Train these animals as much as you want Obananna, Their fate is inevitable. .

    1. The real lebanese Avatar
      The real lebanese

      I dont see Assad working on feeding those below the poverty line. 😉

      1. In case you didn’t notice Mr intelligent, Syria is going through a civil war. Maybe the ones who started this war like the US could lend a hand in feeding the poor instead of trying to put fuel on the fire. Which is what the US does best.

        1. The real lebanese Avatar
          The real lebanese

          They are working on feeding the poor while Assad continues to bomb them. I guess I really am mr intelligent. 😉

          http://world.time.com/2014/01/15/u-s-commits-380m-to-syria-civilian-aid/

          1. Assad govenment has been feeding and protecting the Armenian christians who were almost massacred by the FSA and the Armenian govt is going send more humanitarian aid to syria in return

          2. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            Why is it Assad can only feed certain groups of people?? Ethnic cleansing?

            And you act as if none of the aid is reaching Christians.

          3. Sunni muslims fight for assad not against him as most people think
            The Baath brigades are made of sunnis and they also have Al-quds battalions(Not the IRGC SpecOps) which is made from sunni villages and tribes

          4. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            You forgot the countless Sunni women and children who have died because Assad bombed their villages/towns day and night.

          5. Civilian deaths are inevitable in war

          6. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            But massacring civilians to clear space is avoidable.

          7. Then tell FSA to stop using cities as shields
            Most people support assad becuase he protects cities under his control compared to the FSA who use them as human shields

        2. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
          Michaelinlondon1234

          Never ask for help from the US.

    2. sweetvirgo Avatar
      sweetvirgo

      This has to be one of his worse idea’s. He might as well just hand al qaeda a nuke

    3. AkhouManUki Avatar
      AkhouManUki

      What an ignorant comment Farqrallah. The people of the US contribute more to humanity as a nation than every country you seem to support. At the top of the list is Australia, Canada and America. Near the bottom of the list are Iran, Syria, Russia and China. Don’t start spewing bullshit about poverty and humanity when the regimes you support do less for humanity than most of the planet.

      Don’t lie your way to moral justification. stop being an apologist for the butcher Assad and those who are sponsoring and supporting the slaughter of innocent Syrians.

      1. Calm down you tool. And as for you comment. Lol. The US have caused more havoc and caused more atrocities than any other country on earth. Look up your history DICKHEAD.

        1. AkhouManUki Avatar
          AkhouManUki

          Watch your language and show some respect. Here you go again throwing out an ambiguous and unsubstantiated claim that is in fact bullshit again. What specific history are you asking me to read up on to illustrate what you are saying? It’s another emotional lie ya Farqrallah, the kind of BS that people like to use to deflect responsibility for supporting murdering butchers like Assad. Two wrongs don’t make it right, so stop avoiding the subject.

          1. Show some respect, lol. Well maybe you can start by not calling Farqrallah. Or is that your way showing one respect. Now, in terms of the history I was speaking of, try looking up Vietnam, the first and second gulf war. And last but not least the Afgan war. Count the poor people who died for nothing except feed the big bankers. Then come back and tell me I’m lying. Ya Akhoumanuki. And your rite, two wrongs don’t make a right. Maybe you should take your own advise.

          2. AkhouManUki Avatar
            AkhouManUki

            Calling you Sayyed Farqrallah is a sign of respect you moron. I would think you of all people would appreciate that.

            Thank you for citing some specific conflicts. Now let me educate you on a little history – review the history of the world’ greatest conflicts and let me know where the wars you mentioned rank in terms of history: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_anthropogenic_disasters_by_death_toll

            Before you start the whole “kiss ikht America” debate, please don’t propagate the bullshit lies you hear from almanar, sana and press tv.

          3. LOL, Thanks for the history lesson. However I was not asking you to check for every war. Only the wars the US have started and the amount of people who perished as a result. I’m also sorry for what I said. And your rite, I should show you respect. Had a shitty day yesterday. :-)))

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            He didn’t say ‘Dickhead’ …. Dork.

            And soon there will be too many ‘refugees’ for ANYONE to feed. Let alone the ones inside Syria still. Syria is no longer capable of feeding itself.

          5. IraniAngel Avatar
            IraniAngel

            thanks to whom? who is to blame here? iran or the west n their ´moderate´ muslim allies

          6. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Thanks to the guy who chased all the farmers away in the first year … basically. And cut the water-irrigation channels with bombs. Some who tried to keep working their fields were shot in them.

      2. IraniAngel Avatar
        IraniAngel

        the world began in syria n iran..
        n just that u know every country wud be as gr8 as the us if they had invaded n used the entire world for three centuries.. in fact i wud be more surprised if the us wasnt this gr8. nothing exceptional about the us whatsoever.

      3. Michaelinlondon1234 Avatar
        Michaelinlondon1234

        You are talking Rubbish

  3. Syria completely got rid of chemical weapons http://lenta.ru/news/2014/06/23/syria/

  4. http://www.libertydentalclinic.ae/ Dentists from Dubai have created “the most expensive smile in the world” http://lenta.ru/news/2014/06/27/smilecostly/

    1. 153.000$

  5. IraniAngel Avatar
    IraniAngel

    ‘moderate’ means pro-american puppets like those crazy ´moderate´ dictators in the persian gulf

    1. Farq2 Avatar

      Pretty much

    2. The real lebanese Avatar
      The real lebanese

      Moderate means Sunnis who dont believe in Islamic law and extremism.. Those exist you know.

      1. IraniAngel Avatar
        IraniAngel

        by that definition there r a lot more shia moderates but imma stick to my definition as it is more plausible

      2. Moderate means Groups like Al-Nusra who are less extremist their are no actual moderates with jihadi ties

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