Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)
Thu Sep 5, 2013, 01:10 AM Sep 2013

Factual Chronology Of US Involvement In Syria (With Actual Facts)

December 11th:

U.S. Will Grant Recognition to Syrian Rebels, Obama Says

WASHINGTON — President Obama said Tuesday that the United States would formally recognize a coalition of Syrian opposition groups as that country’s legitimate representative, in an attempt to intensify the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to give up his nearly two-year bloody struggle to stay in power.

snip
But it marks a new phase of American engagement ….. The United States had for much of the civil war largely sat on the sidelines, only recently moving more energetically as it appeared the opposition fighters were beginning to gain momentum — and radical Islamists were playing a growing role.

Experts and many Syrians, including rebels, say the move may well be too little, too late. They note that it is not at all clear if this group will be able to coalesce into a viable leadership, if it has any influence over the fighters waging war with the government or if it can roll back widespread anger at the United States.

snip
“Not everybody who is participating on the ground in fighting Assad are people that we are comfortable with,” Mr. Obama said in an interview on the ABC program “20/20.” “There are some who I think have adopted an extremist agenda, an anti-U.S. agenda.”

snip
Mr. Obama notably did not commit himself to providing arms to the rebels or to supporting them militarily with airstrikes or the establishment of a no-fly zone, a stance that has led to a rise of anti-American sentiment among many of the rebels.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/middleeast/united-states-involvement-in-syria.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0


February 28th:

• The United States is helping to train rebels at a base in the region and for the first time offering armed groups nonlethal equipment, according to the New York Times.

The training mission, already under way, represents the deepest American involvement yet in the Syrian conflict, though the size and scope of the mission is not clear, nor is its host country. The offer of non-lethal assistance is expected from Kerry at a meeting on Thursday in Rome with opposition leaders.


http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/2013/feb/28/syria-crisis-opposition-seeks-military-help-live


April 24:


Despite hopes in Damascus, President Obama has not backed off his demand that Mr. Assad step down. The administration has also kept up economic pressure on his government and has increased nonlethal aid to the opposition while calling for a negotiated settlement to the fighting.

But the United States has signaled growing discomfort with the rising influence of radical Islamists on the battlefield, and it remains unwilling to arm the rebels or to consider stepping in more forcefully without conclusive evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons, as some Israeli officials assert.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/world/middleeast/syria-campaigns-to-persuade-us-to-change-sides.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

June 21st:

The tightly constrained U.S. effort reflects Obama's continuing doubts about being drawn into a conflict that has already killed more than 100,000 people and his administration's fear that Islamic militants now leading the war against President Bashar Assad could gain control of advanced U.S. weaponry.

The training has involved fighters from the Free Syrian Army, a loose confederation of rebel groups that the Obama administration has promised to back with expanded military assistance, said a U.S. official, who discussed the effort anonymously because he was not authorized to disclose details.

July 22nd:
Plan To Arm Syrian Rebels Moving Forward After Congressional Hurdles Lifted

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/plan-arm-syrian-rebels_n_3636506.html



Sept 2nd:

U.S. Still Hasn't Armed Syrian Rebels

By ADAM ENTOUS and NOUR MALAS CONNECT
In June, the White House authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to help arm moderate fighters battling the Assad regime, a signal to Syrian rebels that the cavalry was coming. Three months later, they are still waiting.

The delay, in part, reflects a broader U.S. approach rarely discussed publicly but that underpins its decision-making, according to former and current U.S. officials: The Obama administration doesn't want to tip the balance in favor of the opposition for fear the outcome may be even worse for U.S. interests than the current stalemate.



U.S. officials attribute the delay in providing small arms and munitions from the CIA weapons program to the difficulty of establishing secure delivery "pipelines" to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands, in particular Jihadi militants also battling the Assad regime.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324202304579051280341316034.html

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Factual Chronology Of US Involvement In Syria (With Actual Facts) (Original Post) KittyWampus Sep 2013 OP
It should be noted Benton D Struckcheon Sep 2013 #1
Facts don't matter. ProSense Sep 2013 #2
"Syria is already potentially the worse war in U.S. history" malokvale77 Sep 2013 #3
she's being facetious. KittyWampus Sep 2013 #5
I know. malokvale77 Sep 2013 #7
She's taken a trend towards strawmen lately zipplewrath Sep 2013 #6
I noticed... malokvale77 Sep 2013 #8
Professional posters zipplewrath Sep 2013 #9
I'm sure you're right on this. malokvale77 Sep 2013 #11
Don't misunderstand me zipplewrath Sep 2013 #12
So many important facts there. Have to study it all. Thanks, KW. freshwest Sep 2013 #4
I thought you were going to go back to 1949 Nevernose Sep 2013 #10

Benton D Struckcheon

(2,347 posts)
1. It should be noted
Thu Sep 5, 2013, 01:24 AM
Sep 2013

...that the FSA has been and continues to be annoyed at the limits and the delays in the aid coming from the US.

ProSense

(116,464 posts)
2. Facts don't matter.
Thu Sep 5, 2013, 01:30 AM
Sep 2013

Everything Obama does is met with made up narratives. Syria is already potentially the worse war in U.S. history, started based on lies and the casualties are devastating. There are death squads and secret pacts, some a decade old and others related to oil pipelines, blackmail and a host of other devious plots driving this action. It has nothing to do with a chemical attack that killed 1,500 people. That would mean that the President cared about preventing another such tragedy. Nope, he's up to no good...for the one percent.

malokvale77

(4,879 posts)
3. "Syria is already potentially the worse war in U.S. history"
Thu Sep 5, 2013, 01:59 AM
Sep 2013

What the hell are you talking about? When did this happen.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
6. She's taken a trend towards strawmen lately
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 01:15 PM
Sep 2013

It seems to be a recent development, but there seems a tendency for strawmen lately.

malokvale77

(4,879 posts)
8. I noticed...
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 08:22 PM
Sep 2013

My problem is, my grandson's life is worth more to me than any number of deaths in another countries civil war. I'm fast losing patience with the drum beat for military action, in what is best settled in international courts. I can only question the motives of those pushing so hard in this direction.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
9. Professional posters
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 08:50 PM
Sep 2013

They're a special kind of entity. In some ways they share something with disruptive posters. their purpose isn't to engage, it is to manipulate. Unlike disrupters thought, a professional poster cares little about engaging you and cares more about whom else is listening. Best when engaging them is to focus on the larger audience.

malokvale77

(4,879 posts)
11. I'm sure you're right on this.
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 09:29 PM
Sep 2013

I usually don't engage these posters, but this topic is of personal interest to me. I don't like the cheering toward my loved ones death.

I'll take your advice under consideration. It will probably save my sanity.

PS: I believe my grandson is far more knowledgeable on the subject of Syria than any of these posters on DU.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
12. Don't misunderstand me
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 11:26 PM
Sep 2013

I'm guilty of engaging these posters far more than I should. And admittedly it can be educational/practice to attempt to engage them if for no other reason than to understand the limiits of their usefulness to the larger audience.

Nevernose

(13,081 posts)
10. I thought you were going to go back to 1949
Fri Sep 6, 2013, 09:04 PM
Sep 2013

And that time the CIA helped pull off a military coup against Syria's democratically elected president.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Factual Chronology Of US ...