Congress secretly approves U.S. weapons flow to 'moderate' Syrian rebels
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Light arms supplied by the United States are flowing to "moderate" Syrian rebel factions in the south of the country and U.S. funding for months of further deliveries has been approved by Congress, according U.S. and European security officials.
The weapons, most of which are moving to non-Islamist Syrian rebels via Jordan, include a variety of small arms, as well as some more powerful weapons, such as anti-tank rockets.
The deliveries do not include weapons such as shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, known as MANPADs, which could shoot down military or civilian aircraft, the officials said.
The weapons deliveries have been funded by the U.S. Congress, in votes behind closed doors, through the end of government fiscal year 2014, which ends on September 30, two officials said.
Read more: http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBREA0Q1S320140127?irpc=932
Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)these moderate will come with hijacked planes to America , Definitely there will some consequences of this thing
unhappycamper
(60,364 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)"The Syrian war is a stalemate. The rebels lack the organization and weapons to defeat Assad; the regime lacks the loyal manpower to suppress the rebellion. Both sides' external allies... are ready to supply enough money and arms to fuel the stalemate for the foreseeable future," said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst and sometime foreign policy adviser to President Barack Obama.
Both U.S. and European officials said that "moderate" rebels had recently consolidated their positions in the Syrian south, where they are pushing out elements linked to al-Qaeda. More militant factions remain dominant in the north and east.
Another recent development favorable to more moderate factions is that Kurdish groups that had been providing weapons and other aid financed by donors in the Gulf state of Qatar indiscriminately to both moderate and religious extremist rebel factions had greatly reduced their involvement in the arms traffic, one of the officials said.
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)jakeXT
(10,575 posts)Sen. John McCain said "extremists" were behind his censure by the Arizona Republican Party but that it just fires him up to seek reelection.
Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/mccain-ariz-gop-reprimand/2014/01/28/id/549369
BlueMTexpat
(15,349 posts)No money is provided for food stamps, unemployment compensation or veterans' benefits but plenty for arms manufacturers/dealers. We continue to create and arm new generations of terrorists, all the while increasing our own potential for political and economic instability.
We never - ever - learn.
AngryAmish
(25,704 posts)Where did congress get the power to pass laws in secret?
24601
(3,940 posts)2nd clause which reads: "Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings...."
So the direct answer is that the Constitution delegated Congress that power. It's the same power that lets Congress decide to hold open sessions as well.
Classified appropriations and authorizations aren't new. Every member of Congress has access if they choose to exercise it. Most do not (as it requires getting out of the office and going to a secure room in the Capitol) and instead rely on the committees assigned to oversee legislation relating to various departments & agencies.
reddread
(6,896 posts)our tax dollars at work.
WatermelonRat
(340 posts)We should arm them to win or not at all.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)forcing an agreement to end the war--either with or without him still in power. At least I assume that's what we're up to. Not that I necessarily agree with it.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)reddread
(6,896 posts)Free their slaves?
Nihil
(13,508 posts)... or some other equally fatuous "justification" ...
Nobel Peace Prizes all around!