|
Trending Topics
|
Kerry Says U.S. Backs Mideast Efforts to Arm Syrian Rebels
(New York Times) Michael R. Gordon - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that the Obama administration supported efforts by Middle Eastern nations to send arms to the opposition in Syria. After a meeting with the prime minister of Qatar, which has been involved in arming the Syrian opposition, Kerry said: "We did discuss the question of the ability to try to guarantee that it's going to the right people and to the moderate Syrian opposition coalition." Kerry said the Obama administration had gained new confidence in recent months that the Syrian opposition coalition could minimize the risk that weapons would fall into hostile hands. He said there was no need for the U.S. to provide arms now because other nations were already sending enough. Under a covert program, the Central Intelligence Agency has been training Syrian opposition fighters in Jordan.