US To Train Syrian ‘Moderates’ In SA (will take on Assad and take at least a year to return)
The training effort for Syrian moderates will stress three things: defending their communities, going after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists, and taking on the Assad regime, the Pentagon press secretary said today.
The process — from vetting those eligible to finishing the military training — will take a long time, Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said at a news conference.
“It’s going to take a period of months to work our way through that process — probably three to five months is the best estimate — before the vetting process is complete, and we know we’ve got a body of willing, capable partners to work within the Syrian moderate opposition,” Kirby said. “Then there will be probably a period of eight to 12 months of actual training and fielding.”
That’s how long it will take before capable opposition fighters return to Syria to take on ISIL, Kirby said. But now that the Defense Department has the authorization and the funds that go with it, that work will start immediately, he added.
Training camp in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia will host the training camp in an already established facility, the admiral said. “We’re grateful for that,” he said. “Now, we’re going to move forward on getting that train and equip mission up.”
http://www.albanytribune.com/19092014-us-train-syrian-moderates-saudi-arabia/
It is likely the "moderate" rebels won't be returning to battle in Syria until sometime in 2016.
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