MESOP INSIGHT SYRIA : Spurred by Iraq, U.S. to Boost Support for Syrian Rebels
The United States moved toward a joint Iraq-Syria policy, recognizing the two conflicts are intertwined, as U.S. secretary of state John Kerry arrived in Jeddah on Friday to consult with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, the Syrian opposition’s most prominent backer, and Syrian opposition leader Ahmed Jarba (Daily Star).
His visit comes a day after U.S. president Barack Obama requested that Congress appropriate $500 million to train and arm “appropriately vetted” members of the Syrian opposition forces (NYT), which would mark a significant elevation of U.S. involvement in Syria’s civil war. However, military and State Department officials said specific plans had not yet been drawn up. The proposal, which has been awaited since Obama’s West Point commencement address in late May, was accompanied by an additional $1 billion to help stabilize Syria’s neighbors (AP).