House grudgingly approves arms for Syrian rebels

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By DAVID ESPO and DONNA CASSATA

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled House voted grudgingly to give the administration authority to train and arm Syrian rebels on Wednesday as President Barack Obama emphasized anew that American forces "do not and will not have a combat mission" in the struggle against Islamic State militants in either Iraq or Syria.

The 273-156 vote crossed party lines to an unusual degree in a Congress marked by near ceaseless partisanship. Top Republican and Democratic leaders backed Obama's plan seven weeks before midterm elections, while dozens of rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties opposed it.

The provision was added to spending legislation that will ensure the federal government operates normally after the Sept. 30 end of the budget year. Final approval is expected in the Senate as early as Thursday.

Even supporters of the military plan found little to trumpet. "This is the best of a long list of bad options," said Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va.

FULL story at link.



Secretary of State John Kerry points to a newspaper photo of the recent Arab summit in Saudi Arabia as an example of the kind of coalition he expects in combating Islamic State extremists in Iraq and Syria, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. Kerry appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to shore up President Barack Obama's strategy to combat the terrorists. Obama reaffirmed Wednesday that he does not intend to send U.S. troops into combat against the Islamic State group, despite doubts about the ability of Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and Syrian rebels to carry out the ground fight on their own. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140917/us-congress-islamic-state-ff3d915f5d.html

[louis-t]

1. Best of a long list of bad options?

It's close to the bottom of my list. How long has it been since we successfully trained and supplied a foreign country to fight their own war? It always ends badly. I'm sure the weapons makers love this idea.

[OnlinePoker]

2. Don't the Syrian rebels already have enough U.S. weapons?

Maybe it's time to STOP shipping in armaments to unstable regions of the globe.

[840high]

9. That would be nice.

[jamzrockz]

22. Whoa

You mean to say we should stop adding fuel to the fire? that kind of common sense thinking is why congress has a very low approval rating

[Autumn]

3. grudgingly?

Sure, when there are nothing but bad options just pick one, preferably one that's makes money for weapons contractors. Whta bull shit

[merrily]

4. Who will teach ISIL how to use them?

[christx30]

14. When I read your comment,

I just had the image of a weapon malfunction in ISIL's hands, and them suing us for negligence.

We are arming both sides in this conflict, however indirectly. So yay, I guess? Maybe time to buy some stock?

[merrily]

19. Stock in the manufacturers of the weapons? Not if you think IS will be

Last edited Wed Mar 14, 2018, 12:34 AM - Edit history (1)

suing them. Those victim class actions can be expensive. That would bring the price of the stock down, so I'd wait.

As my adorable mom once said, thinking she had personally cracked the entire secret of making money, "Buy low, sell high."

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. Well, that's a half a billion bucks down the toilet. At best.

[Aerows]

7. A half a billion?

More like half a trillion for starters.

[Comrade Grumpy]

18. This particular vote authorized the expenditure of $500 million.

"Officials put a $500 million price tag on Obama's request to train and equip rebels. The cost generated virtually no discussion among lawmakers..."

[merrily]

20. True. A billion just doesn't stretch very far anymore.

[Aerows]

6. "The 273-156 vote crossed party lines to an unusual degree"

It's only unusual if you haven't been paying attention. There is ALWAYS support for war.

Try to get appropriations for infrastructure in the US, and everybody in Congress has a heart attack trying to stop it, or pretend that they want it (while having a heart attack trying to stop it).

[clg311]

11. And there has always been anti-war lelties and libertarians.

Voting against warmongering. More bad journalism from the NYT.

[William769]

8. I am probably the odd man out here but I say good!

[Aerows]

15. I agree with you on many things my friend

but we part company on this fiasco.

[PeteSelman]

10. What horseshit.

The paymasters want war and war they shall get. Grudgingly, pah!

[clg311]

12. Another win for bin laden. NT

[bigwillq]

13. Yuck.

[lancer78]

16. Wasn't there an AP article

Stating that ISIL had made some Alliances with the "moderate" rebel factions in Syria. If I was a leader in ISIL, I would be telling the other rebel groups that since now we are getting attacked by America, America has now taken Assad's side. Would be great for recruitment.


"It's a Trap!"

Admiral Ackbar

[christx30]

24. I was about to post that too.

Why would we be sending weapons to the Syrian Rebels to fight ISIL, if the rebels have signed a non-aggression treaty with ISIL? How does that make any sense?

[Fred Sanders]

17. Saudi has 300 combat aircraft, dozens of F-15's and almost 80 Eurofighter jets...let them clean

up their own neighbourhood they filled up with thugs and gangs.

And they are right next door to the mess.

[daleo]

21. As long as the arms only go to good rebels, not bad

And if the labels happen to change, the rebels will naturally trade weapons, just to be sure everything is on the up and up.

[jamzrockz]

23. Lets hope

Warren, Sander or some other good progressive filibusters the hell out of it tomorrow in the senate

[pampango]

25. Interesting. About this time last year the House was going to vote down actual air strikes in Syria.

I wonder what changed minds - the type of action being authorized or the ISIS factor.

[Renew Deal]

26. It's OK. We will send troops in 2-3 years as this gets more out of control

It's just delaying the inevitable. And it's inevitable because these policies have no chance of success.