Senate Panel Approves Arms for Syrian Rebels

philly.com ^ | May 22, 2013 | Donna Cassata

[BarnacleCenturion]

WASHINGTON - A Senate panel voted Tuesday to provide weapons to rebels battling the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the first time lawmakers have endorsed the aggressive U.S. military step of arming the opposition.

...

"The greatest humanitarian crisis in the world is unfolding in and around Syria," said Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), the committee chief. ". . . The United States must play a role in tipping the scales toward opposition groups and working to build a free and democratic Syria."

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the panel's top Republican, implicitly criticized the Obama administration as he joined Menendez in embracing the measure. "Much of the policy on Syria has been done on an ad hoc basis," Corker said. Opposing the legislation were Sens. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), a potential presidential candidate, and Democratic Sens. Tom Udall of New Mexico and Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

"It's impossible to know who are friends are," Paul said. His arguments put him at odds with another potential White House candidate - Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who backed the legislation.

[FreedomPoster]

Well, maybe they would support a *little* democracy. Like one man, one vote, one time.

[HamiltonJay]

So, we are at war with ISLAMIC TERRORISTS, and we are going to willingly give weapons to a group made up primarily of Wahabbist Terrorists...

What the Hell!! This is a conflict between animals on both sides and all that will result from the “rebels” winning would be destabilization of another nation in the middle east.

We should not be doing anything here, other than provide humanitarian aid at MOST.

[DoughtyOne]

Amen! This is pure insanity.

[butterdezillion]

Not to mention it’s believed that they have used chemical weapons, and they are posting video of their leader cutting open a dead person and eating his heart. These are the murderous thugs we want to support? The people who are sworn enemies of the US and of our freedom-guaranteeing Constitution?

This is absolutely nuts.

[butterdezillion]

Hey, sharia allows guys to be “married” for an hour or so and “divorce” the gal as soon as he’s ejaculated. And they can have multiple wives at a time. So sharia is the way to go, in the eyes of Menendez. He wouldn’t have to go down to the Dominican Republic for his fun, and he could be considered a great religious hero for doing what he’s been doing all along. And if he gets too rough with the girl, she can’t do a thing to him legally unless there are 5 men willing to say they eyewitnessed it. If he’s ticked off enough with her he can accuse her of immorality and have her stoned to death by “judge’s knowledge”.

So heck yeah, let’s arm the world Islamists who have sworn to destroy America so they can install worldwide sharia...

[jacknhoo]

Isn't this, exactly, how we ended up with Al Qaeda? And, aren't these rebels really Al Qaeda anyhow? And why are we now “officially” arming them when we've already been arming them. That's one of the reasons we wouldn't send rescue to Benghazi, I suspect, because our aircraft would have been shot down by our own shoulder fired missiles we had already provided Al Qaeda “rebels.”

[IXNK]

Notice that no one really asks those questions to those in power? If they do it's a one off like Rand Paul? Notice how the mainstream media ignores asking such questions? It starts to make one feel that there is some sort of collusion between news and Belt Way think Tank types when it comes to foreign policy and "We the people" who offer such pointed questions on American foreign policy are ignored.

The US Senate can barely agree on anything, including nominations by Obama yet the Republicans and Democrats in majorities back arming al-Qaeda linked rebels? That's odd to me.

[CedarDave]

For once Udall did something I can support. But 98% of the time he's a liberal's liberal with enviro-nuts providing a good portion of his base.

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