WaPost: Congress nearing plan to approve training and equipping Syrian rebels [View all]

[scarletwoman]

Are you all paying attention to this shit?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/09/15/congress-nearing-plan-to-approve-military-operations-in-syria/

Congress is moving quickly this week to approve President Obama’s plans to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels but also ensure that Capitol Hill is kept informed of plans to recruit, vet and train those forces.

Under plans formulated in recent days by House Republicans, Congress would authorize the Pentagon to begin operations to counter the rise of the Islamic State terror group in the coming days, and likely set up time for a more robust debate on broader military action in Iraq and Syria later this fall after the midterm elections.

The process is expected to begin with the House voting to grant Obama the authority to begin training Syrian rebels and Iraqi military forces as part of an amendment to a larger measure that funds federal agencies and is expected to pass after debate on Tuesday and Wednesday, aides said. Once the House votes, the Senate would take up the issue by next week before adjourning for the elections.

<snip>

Aides to top Senate Democrats did not raise any concerns Monday as plans came together in the House, though Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) planned to take the temperature of his colleagues Monday night on the floor and on Tuesday during a weekly caucus luncheon, aides said.

I, for one, strenuously object! And I have sent emails to my two Senators and my Representative in the House to express that objection. This is what I sent:

Please, do NOT vote to approve Obama's request for funding for a Syria campaign!

I'm a lifelong Democrat. But I absolutely can NOT support Presiden Obama's plan to send more weapons and funding to the so-called "moderate" Syrian rebels.

This is just a backdoor to regime change - and when have ANY of the U.S. grand plans for regime change in the Middle East ever panned out to be anything more than a recipe for more bloodshed and loss of life and increase in Islamic fundamentalist backlash?

I don't believe for a minute that we can know who are the "moderate" rebels in Syria, and who are the pals of the Islamic State militants. Obama's request for more money and weapons to be poured down the chaotic hellhole that is the Middle East is just plain idiotic.

Haven't we had enough of quagmires in the past 60+ years since Vietnam? No more regime change! No more siphoning our treasure to prop up impossible goals in the Middle East! Please, please, please vote NO to funding this Syria action!

If you are inclined to write to your Representative and Senators, here are some handy links:

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC

If you're all for this vote, fine. But if, like me, you are quite horrified by this authorization, please take a few minutes and let your Senators and Representative know. Even if they are Republicans - maybe even especially if they are Republicans.

Let's stop this runaway train on the way to the neocon dream of more regime change!