Obama's Move: Arming Syrian Rebels Is Arming Al-Qaida

Investor's Business Daily ^ | June 17, 2013 | IBD EDITORIALS

[raptor22]

The Mideast: The president opposed arming the Syrian rebels last year on the grounds the arms could find their way into Islamist hands. This year he's changed his mind — but the rebels haven't changed their Islamist spots.

One would have thought that the decision to intervene in the Syrian civil war, a conflict in which the U.S. has no clear strategic interest, would have been announced by President Obama, sans golf garb, sitting behind his desk in the Oval Office, and not by Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser for strategic communications.

One would also have thought that, when the decision to aid the Syrian "rebels" was made, some thought would have been given to whom we would be aiding.

Last year, the Wall Street Journal has reported, Obama blocked a proposal backed by Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to arm the rebels, voicing concerns that arms could end up in the hands of Islamists battling Mr. Assad.

The Obama administration's announcement Thursday that it would send more military aid to the rebel Supreme Military Council is another attempt to pick winners and losers, this time in a conflict over which we have no control and little influence and in which other major players have quite different desired outcomes.

In a revealing chart and article published by the Economist magazine, two of the three major fronts — the Syrian Islamic Front and the Syrian Liberation Front — are Islamist, as are 10 of the 12 identified rebel groups.

The only major secular entity on the chart is Gen. Salim Idriss' Supreme Military Command.

[Jane Long]

There is a video clip of this man-eating rebel from Glenn Beck's show today. It's disgusting...and these are the ones were arming? Disgusting.

The link to video is here.

[Cronos]

yes, the US is now officially an ally of Alqaeda and thanks to Obama will be sending anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to AlQaeda jihadis. Those weapons will be used in America sooner or later -- more likely sooner.

There's our noble peace prize winner.....

[rdb3]

America wanted a black President. We got one.

We got half of one at least.

Be careful what you wish for.

No comment...

[MountainYankee]

Agreed. The people asked for it and they now have it. Not once, but, twice. Anyone who voted for this president should take a bow.

[gura]

“Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”