House Lawmakers Split on Helping Arm Syrian Rebels

Worries about weapons falling into the wrong hands

A House hearing Wednesday revealed a sharp split over providing military aid, even amid reports Assad is using chemical weapons.

House lawmakers are deeply divided over proposals to arm rebel groups in Syria, amid unconfirmed reports that President Bashar al-Assad has used chemical weapons against opposition forces.

At a hearing Wednesday, lawmakers pushed back on legislation from the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs panel, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) to provide $150 million in military assistance – including weapons -- to forces looking to topple the Assad regime.

Comments

[Libertarius]

I'm pretty sure the narrative we are getting re: the turmoil in the ME and North Africa is of a contrived nature. In Syria, the "valiant rebels" are actually Al-Qaeda elements looking to overthrow their non-jihadist government.

One country after another keeps falling under the sword of the Muslim Brotherhood, and all the while we are hearing stories of "the Arab Spring bringing democracy and social justice to the ME", etc. The truth is exactly the opposite: the forces of "progress" in these countries are Al-Qaeda seeking to overthrow governments which are not jihadist enough for their liking. The True Jihadist is the True Scotsman of the ME and North Africa.