Obama “Close to” Ordering Military to Train Syrian Rebels
by Keith Koffler on May 27, 2014, –After a policy based on trying to somehow negotiate with Syrian President Bashar Assad failed to prevent 160,000 deaths and the establishment of a new terrorist breeding ground, President Obama is on the cusp of ordering the military to begin training any “good guys” we can find among the Syrian rebels.
From the Wall Street Journal:President Barack Obama is close to authorizing a mission led by the U.S. military to train moderate Syrian rebels to fight the regime of Bashar al-Assad and al Qaeda-linked groups, a move that would expand Washington’s role in the conflict, U.S. officials said.
A new military training program, if implemented, would supplement a small train-and-equip program led by the Central Intelligence Agency which Mr. Obama authorized a year ago.
U.S. officials said the new military program would represent a significant expansion of Washington’s public efforts. U.S. officials don’t discuss the CIA’s limited training program because it is covert.
Obama plans to “signal” the new training effort when he delivers the commencement address at West Point Wednesday.