Syrian rebels to get 1st direct U.S. support as $8M in medical supplies

[Jazzy]

The first shipment of U.S. aid to the armed Syrian rebels was being delivered Tuesday to the opposition Supreme Military Council (SMC). It includes $8 million in medical supplies and ready-to-eat military food rations. State Department officials are overseeing the transfer of goods on the ground.

The Obama administration promised this aid two months ago to the SMC, which is led by Syrian defector, Gen. Salim Idris. So while the administration argues it has been helping the rebels, CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan reports that help takes quite a while to reach the intended recipients.

The U.S. pledged $60 million in February to be used for training and non-lethal aid to the SMC; $8 million of that went to aid the armed rebels. A request made by Gen. Idris for chemical weapons training and gas masks has not been filled, though the White House acknowledged last week that sarin gas has "very likely" been used by the Syrian regime on at least two occasions.

On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Nebulous Biden met ministers from six different Arab countries at an Arab League meeting held in Washington. At least two of the countries participating in that meeting, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have acknowledged providing financial assistance and arms to various armed Syrian rebel groups.

A U.S. official told CBS News that during the meeting, the U.S. reiterated the need for all military assistance to be funneled through the Supreme Military Council. The U.S. is concerned that some Arab governments are supporting rebels with ties to Islamic extremist groups.

Gen. Idris has requested military training for his fighters. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations committee, has publicly endorsed that idea. The White House has been reluctant to provide any military support out of fear that arms or training could benefit extremists.

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8 million dollars, going where!?!? WTF

 

[Evil Eye]

Going to a group of people who might very well be in charge of a number of oil fields and other natural resources in the near future thanks to this aid.