Hagel: Administration Is Rethinking Opposition To Arming Syrian Rebels

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

By ASSOCIATED PRESS | 5/2/13 2:53 PM EDT

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is rethinking its opposition to arming rebels opposed to the Syrian government, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday.

At a Pentagon news conference, Hagel said the administration is considering a range of options. He said he personally has not decided whether it would be wise to provide weapons to the rebels. "Arming the rebels — that's an option," he said. "We must continue to look at options." He said the U.S. is considering a range of options in consultation with allies.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/hagel-syria-rebels-arms-90870.html#ixzz2SAHfHwo2

[alp227]

1. The Guardian: Syria chemical weapons evidence 'too degraded' for proof

Western intelligence agencies fear they can no longer prove for certain whether the Syrian government was responsible for alleged chemical weapon attacks, because initial samples and evidence trails have degraded over time.

Instead, Britain and the US are likely to have to wait for fresh evidence from further attacks before deciding whether to take a military response against the Assad government.

Philip Hammond, the British defence secretary, revealed the shortcomings in recent reliance on soil and blood samples ahead of talks with his US counterpart Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon on Thursday.

...

Britain currently supplies non-lethal assistance such as armoured 4x4s, body armour and night-vision goggles, while countries such as Saudi Arabia are know to have supplied guns. But Hammond said the significance of a US decision to lift an arms embargo would be to provide international "leadership" for the rebels.

full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/02/us-uk-syria-chemical-weapons-claims