Clinton: Too many concerns over arming Syrians

[tabatha]

Posted on February 27, 2012 by hms9
By: Wyatt Andrews

As Syrian forces continue their assault on the besieged city of Homs, the international community is still searching for ways to provide tangible relief for those under assault.

Over the weekend, officials from the U.S. and other countries – dubbed the “friends of Syria” – met in Tunisia and demanded an end to the violence. But they haven’t agreed on just how to stop Syrian President Bashar Assad from killing his own people.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CBS News she is “deeply distressed” for civilians under attack in cities like Homs and touted the success of the weekend conference, which she said is notable because many countries, including those in the Arab League, were “speaking with one voice.” But the Obama administration has thus far resisted requests by Arab countries and by U.S. lawmakers like Sen. John McCain to begin the full-scale armament of the Syrian dissidents.

“What are we going to arm them with and against what? We’re not going to bring tanks over the borders of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan,” Clinton said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57385653/clinton-too-many-concerns-over-arming-syrians/

[riverwalker]

1. Iran reaching out to US on post-Assad set-up?

(From the leaked Stratfor Global Intelligence emails wikileaks released today.)

http://english.al-akhbar.com/gi-files/iran-reaching-out-us-post-assad-set-me1-and-me1386
Iran reaching out to US on post-Assad set-up?

"Reva's note - this is extremely interesting, especially the bolded part below. DOes Iran really think it can convince the US to collaborate with them on regime change in SYria in such a way that will end up in Iran's favor? the whole point of the US focusing in on Syria is to contain Iran in the first place. This sounds like the Iranians are getting to be in an increasingly desperate position. Always be wary of source bias, but why would a HZ source want to spread info on the weakness of the Syrian regime and the lack of options for Iran? I do believe the part about Iran preferring a palace coup over the Turkish strategy of building up an opposition via FSA."
"Marhaba Reva,
I strongly believe that Asad's regime will fall in 2012. The conventional wisdom that Asad will survive, because both Iran and Israel view him with favor, is a thing of the past. The situation in Syria has reached the point of no return. It is true than nine months of demonstrations have not brought down the regime but, by the same token, regime brutality and heavy handedness have not quelled the uprising. If anything, the level of hostilities and army defections is on the rise." <more at link>