Top House Democrat To Introduce Bill Authorizing Arms To Syrian Rebels

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY)

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Sunday that he plans to introduce legislation to allow the Obama administration to transfer weapons to Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Reporting from the region, ABC’s Terry Moran said on the network’s Sunday program “This Week” that the U.S. faces a choice, either arm the rebels or work with Russia, and perhaps Assad himself, on a potential peace deal between the two warring factions. When asked about that choice, Engel said he thinks “it’s time” to allow President Obama to provide the rebels with direct military assistance:

TERRY MORAN: The United States has a choice: arm the rebels, engage even more deeply in what is becoming a chaotic and dangerous war to this region or broker a peace, probably with Russia, give the Syrian people an opportunity to determine their future and at least in the first stages, Bashar Assad is likely to be part of that process.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Congressman Engel is that the choice?

ENGEL: I think it’s the choice and I will be introducing legislation to allow the President to arm the rebels. I think it’s time to do that. I think the Free Syria Army needs help. We know who they are and I think it’s time we make that move.

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The United States has been providing training and logistics and communications assistance to the rebels but thus far, the Obama administration has been reluctant to provide arms, instead preferring to allow other regional allies to send weapons to the rebels fighting Assad. But with recent revelations that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former CIA director Gen. David Petraeus, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey supported a plan to arm the rebels, and now with the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to introduce legislation backing that plan, momentum may be gaining to persuade the Obama administration to shift course.

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Statement by the President Announcing $155 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for the Syrian People

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

This morning, President Obama released a video announcing $155 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the Syrian people.  Click here to view the video of the President’s statement with Arabic subtitles.

Statement by the President

For nearly two years, the Assad regime has waged a brutal war against the Syrian people—murdering innocent men, women and children, in their homes, in bread lines, and at universities. 

In the face of this barbarism, the United States has joined with nations around the world in calling for an end to the Assad regime and a transition that leads to a peaceful, inclusive and democratic Syria, where the rights of all Syrians are protected.  We’ve worked to isolate Assad and his regime; impose sanctions that starve the regime of funds; recognize the Syrian Opposition Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people; call for accountability for perpetrators of atrocities; and provide humanitarian relief to Syrians in need.

The relief we send doesn’t say “Made in America,” but make no mistake—our aid reflects the commitment of the American people.  American aid means food and clean water for millions of Syrians. American aid means medicine and treatment for hundreds of thousands of patients in Damascus, Dar’a and Homs.  It means immunizations for one million Syrian children.  American aid means winter supplies for more than half a million people in Aleppo, Homs and Dayr az Zawr.  And we’re working with allies and partners so that this aid reaches those in need.

Today, we’re taking another step.  I’ve approved an additional $155 million in humanitarian aid for people in Syria and refugees fleeing the violence.  Here, I want to speak directly to the people of Syria. This new aid will mean more warm clothing for children and medicine for the elderly; flour and wheat for your families and blankets, boots and stoves for those huddled in damaged buildings.  It will mean health care for victims of sexual violence and field hospitals for the wounded.   Even as we work to end the violence against you, this aid will help address some of the immediate needs you face each day.

This new commitment will bring America’s total humanitarian aid to Syria to $365 million—making us the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.  Today, I also call on the international community to do more to help these Syrians in need, and to contribute to the latest UN humanitarian appeal.

We’re under no illusions.  The days ahead will continue to be very difficult.  But what’s clear is that the regime continues to weaken and lose control of territory.  The opposition continues to grow stronger.  More Syrians are standing up for their dignity.  The Assad regime will come to an end.  The Syrian people will have their chance to forge their own future.  And they will continue to find a partner in the United States of America. 

Read the President's message in Arabic (pdf). You can also watch a video of the President's message with Arabic subtitles.

On Thursday, January 31 at 1:00 p.m. ET, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz will join the latest "Fireside Hangout" for a conversation about immigration reform.

President Obama speak from Las Vegas about creating a fair and effective immigration system that lives up to our heritage as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.

President Obama announced today that he has approved a new round of humanitarian assistance, an additional $155 million to provide for the urgent and pressing needs of civilians in Syria and refugees forced to flee the violence of the Assad regime. This brings America’s contribution to date to $365 million, making the United States the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

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McCain visits Syrian refugee camp in Jordan

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) tweeted on Saturday that he visited with Syrian refugees at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan and said "the world is failing the people of Syria."

Attached to the tweet is photo of McCain at what appears to be the refugee camp. The Arizona Republican also posted another photo on Twitter of a group of Syrian children at the camp.

McCain, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has slammed the Obama administration's handling of the Syrian crisis and called for the United States to arm the rebels fighting against President Bashar al-Assad.  

The Zaatari refugee camp is located close to the border between Jordan and Syria, and many Syrians have entered the camp to flee the violence in their home country, according to the BBC.

On Friday McCain tweeted that he met with military officials and service members in Afghanistan.

McCain and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) visited a Syrian refugee camp on the Turkey-Syria border this spring. During the trip, the two said the international community is "failing the people of Syria" by only providing humanitarian aid and urged the U.S. to arm the rebels battling against Assad's forces. 

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U.N. Says 60,000 Killed In Syrian Civil War

NEWS FLASH

U.N. Says 60,000 Killed In Syrian Civil War | The United Nations released a new analysis today finding that at least 60,000 Syrians have died in the country’s two-year long civil war, with, the AP reports, “monthly casualty figures steadily increasing.” “The failure of the international community, in particular the Security Council, to take concrete actions to stop the blood-letting, shames us all,” U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement. “Collectively, we have fiddled at the edges while Syria burns.”

By Ben Armbruster on Jan 2, 2013 at 10:30 am

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