After a wasted $500 million, the Department of Defense has ended the program to train Syrians to fight ISIS. Instead, the Department of Defense is looking for smaller rebel groups who will pledge to fight ISIS and equip those groups. Part of the reason of why the original program was so unsuccessful was because the trained Syrians were more focused on fighting President Assad rather than ISIS. In fact, the rebels supplied the Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al Quaeda, with the US weaponry and aid.
I agree with the closing of the program but not with the supplying of rebels with weapons. Although the weapons that we will be giving to the rebels are considered to be small arms, I do not like the idea of supplying American weapons to rebels who have supplied Al Quaeda. The US's ambiguous stance on its extent of support to President Assad is also an issue. If the rebels beat ISIS, they will begin battling President Assad. Because Assad's enemies include Al Quaeda, the weapons we supply rebels right now will be used by Al Quaeda to fight Assad.
I remember President Assad claimed that he was merely defending his country against terrorists in an interview with 60 Minutes last year. Due to recent reports about the rebels he is fighting against (which includes both ISIS and the smaller rebel factions), I am inclined to agree with his statement.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/world/middleeast/pentagon-program-islamic-state-syria.html?_r=0
I agree with Stephen in that while I agree that the original program to train Syrians to fight ISIS needed to end, I don't think focusing on small rebel groups pledging to fight ISIS will be a more worthwhile investment of US money and aid. There needs to be a better plan, something that will directly deal with the core of the issue. Right now, it seems like President Obama isn't too concerned with what's going on in Syria. He hasn't taken much effective action. The US government never seems to take meaningful action if they are not receiving some kind of benefit for it. Angelina Jolie actually addressed the UN and reprimanded their lack of effort in dealing with the problems in Syria. It's a bit shameful that an actress is speaking up for such a grave problem while the US government sits back and watches it all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephen in that while I agree that the original program to train Syrians to fight ISIS needed to end, I don't think focusing on small rebel groups pledging to fight ISIS will be a more worthwhile investment of US money and aid. There needs to be a better plan, something that will directly deal with the core of the issue. Right now, it seems like President Obama isn't too concerned with what's going on in Syria. He hasn't taken much effective action. The US government never seems to take meaningful action if they are not receiving some kind of benefit for it. Angelina Jolie actually addressed the UN and reprimanded their lack of effort in dealing with the problems in Syria. It's a bit shameful that an actress is speaking up for such a grave problem while the US government sits back and watches it all.
ReplyDelete