To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

×
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF

Geneva Talks Falter as Secret US Flow of Arms to Syrian Opposition Revealed

Weapons were approved by Congress in closed-door meetings

News

The Geneva talks between the Syrian government and some opposition forces faltered Tuesday upon revelations that U.S. Congress secretly approved arms shipments to Syrian opposition forces.

After representatives of the Syrian government expressed anger at the covert weapons flow, the United Nations' top mediator decided to discontinue the talks planned for Tuesday afternoon.

Reuters revealed on Monday that the U.S. government is sending small arms, as well as the more powerful anti-tank rockets, to "moderate" rebels --identified as "non-Islamist" forces -- through Jordan.

The weapons flow has been green-lighted by Congress through the end of the 2014 fiscal year, which concludes next fall, in classified defense appropriations legislation decided in closed-door meetings.

The arms flow contradicts U.S. lawmakers' public reluctance to send weapons to Syria over stated concerns they might end up in the control of Al Qaeda affiliates.

_____________________

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
arms tradesyria

The Geneva talks between the Syrian government and some opposition forces faltered Tuesday upon revelations that U.S. Congress secretly approved arms shipments to Syrian opposition forces.

After representatives of the Syrian government expressed anger at the covert weapons flow, the United Nations' top mediator decided to discontinue the talks planned for Tuesday afternoon.

Reuters revealed on Monday that the U.S. government is sending small arms, as well as the more powerful anti-tank rockets, to "moderate" rebels --identified as "non-Islamist" forces -- through Jordan.

The weapons flow has been green-lighted by Congress through the end of the 2014 fiscal year, which concludes next fall, in classified defense appropriations legislation decided in closed-door meetings.

The arms flow contradicts U.S. lawmakers' public reluctance to send weapons to Syria over stated concerns they might end up in the control of Al Qaeda affiliates.

_____________________

The Geneva talks between the Syrian government and some opposition forces faltered Tuesday upon revelations that U.S. Congress secretly approved arms shipments to Syrian opposition forces.

After representatives of the Syrian government expressed anger at the covert weapons flow, the United Nations' top mediator decided to discontinue the talks planned for Tuesday afternoon.

Reuters revealed on Monday that the U.S. government is sending small arms, as well as the more powerful anti-tank rockets, to "moderate" rebels --identified as "non-Islamist" forces -- through Jordan.

The weapons flow has been green-lighted by Congress through the end of the 2014 fiscal year, which concludes next fall, in classified defense appropriations legislation decided in closed-door meetings.

The arms flow contradicts U.S. lawmakers' public reluctance to send weapons to Syria over stated concerns they might end up in the control of Al Qaeda affiliates.

_____________________

arms tradesyria
Join the Conversation