U.S. to provide ‘direct military support’ to Syrian rebels

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/13/u-s-to-provide-direct-military-support-to-syrian-rebels/



U.S. to provide ‘direct military support’ to Syrian rebels
By Reuters
Thursday, June 13, 2013 23:28 EDT

WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) – President Barack Obama has authorized sending U.S. weapons to Syrian rebels for the first time, a U.S. official said on Thursday after the White House said it has proof the Syrian government had used chemical weapons against opposition forces fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

The U.S. decision came as Assad’s surging forces and their Lebanese Hezbollah allies turned their guns on the north, fighting near the northern city of Aleppo and bombarding the central city of Homs after having seized the initiative by winning the open backing of Hezbollah last month and capturing the strategic town of Qusair last week.

The White House said Washington would provide “direct military support” to the opposition but did not specify whether it would include lethal aid, which would mark a reversal of Obama’s resistance to arming the rebels. But the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the package would include weapons.

Syrian rebel and political opposition leaders immediately called for anti-aircraft and other sophisticated weaponry.



unhappycamper comment: This reminds me of a comment from a former official: "What could possibly go wrong?"

We just keep on digging that hole.....