CIA Funneling Arms to Syrian Rebels Through Turkey
CIA officers are engaged in a supposed vetting process for which fighters get arms
The CIA has officers secretly operating in southern Turkey, helping allies to funnel arms to Syrian opposition fighters across the border into Syria to aid in the fight against the regime of President Bashar al Assad.
“The weapons, including automatic rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition and some antitank weapons, are being funneled mostly across the Turkish border by way of a shadowy network of intermediaries including Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood and paid for by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar,” according to the New York Times.
The Times reports the CIA officers have been in southern Turkey for several weeks aiming to help keep the weapons and ammunition flowing across the border out of the hands of al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups within the rebel militias. This corresponds to reports in May that the Obama administration was preparing a plan that would attempt to vet rebel militias in Syria to determine whether they would be suitable recipients of munitions through US allies.
The rebel fighters, the Washington Post reported earlier in May, “have begun receiving significantly more and better weapons in recent weeks, an effort paid for by Persian Gulf nations and coordinated in part by the United States.”
Members of the exile group the Syrian National Council have said that the Turkish Army has provided such aid as antitank weaponry to the rebel fighters. They also claim that the US was consulted about these arms transfers.
The opposition in Syria is an unorganized, unreliable, unaccountable group of localized rebel militias, at least some of whom have ties to al-Qaeda. Access to the fighters and to Syria itself is very difficult and no so-called “vetting process” could ensure the weapons wouldn’t be used by unscrupulous groups. Even if it could, arming one side in a virtual civil war would not be a legitimate, or a prudent foreign policy.
As Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma and an expert on Syria, wrote in Foreign Policy this month, “Let’s be clear: Washington is pursuing regime change by civil war in Syria. The United States, Europe, and the Gulf states want regime change, so they are starving the regime in Damascus and feeding the opposition.”
George Washington University professor and Middle East expert Marc Lynch has argued that “arming the Syrian opposition, would likely spread the violence and increase the numbers of Syrian dead without increasing the likelihood of regime collapse.” Also, as we saw in Libya, “fighting groups will rise in political power, while those who have advocated nonviolence or who advance political strategies will be marginalized.”
The potential for this meddling to escalate the violence and exacerbate the suffering is very, very high, and recent UN investigations suggest the Syrian rebels have committed atrocities in recent weeks. The humanitarian concerns in Syria are real, but military intervention does not offer a compelling alternative, especially since Washington would undoubtedly be getting involved in a geopolitical game against Iran, as opposed to for humanitarian concerns.
Last 5 posts by John Glaser
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- Clinton Warns That 'Desperate' Assad Could Use Chemical Arms - December 5th, 2012
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Popsiq
June 21st, 2012 at 9:36 am
Qatar is taking a leading role in the Arab spring. Almost like they invented it.
Qatar, friend o' freedom and the home of the US headquarters for BushCo's great wars on Saddam the Hossein.
I'd bet a guy could get a real drink in Qatar.
Phil Giraldi
June 21st, 2012 at 9:49 am
I reported this months ago!
Budd Weiser
June 21st, 2012 at 11:53 am
I'm shocked…shocked to hear that the CIA is funneling weapons to Syria.
zioctopus
June 21st, 2012 at 11:53 am
yeah, this is old news but it still must continue to circulate.
Nathan
June 21st, 2012 at 1:22 pm
First of all this is not news. Everyone who reads the new knew this long before NYT published it, and subsequently our beloved Anti-war, reported it.
“…helping allies to funnel arms to Syrian opposition fighters.”
The above quote is taken from NYT and any site that reported it. Look how it could be reported by an honest journalist as opposed to those stenographers at NYT:
“…helping Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and turkey to funnel arms to the foreign supported terrorists and saboteurs fighting in Syria.”
This is only one instance showing how the regime in Washington keeps people ignorant.
Nathan
June 21st, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Budd, are you kidding? CIA is the central bank of terrorists.
Jaime
June 21st, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Turkey, what a treacherous nation.
Guest
June 21st, 2012 at 1:26 pm
"Also, as we saw in Libya, “fighting groups will rise in political power, while those who have advocated nonviolence or who advance political strategies will be marginalized.”
This is the most tragic part. Plenty of the Syrian population would like to evolve their goverment beyond the Asad/Baath dictatorship, which can only enrich its own inner circle while doing nothing re: Golan and Israel… And plenty of voices have been clear that they reject the violent armed groups. But the US and obviously their GCC allies obviously don't give a rat's ass about democracy or the people's will – Obama's 'model for the Mideast' is Yemen's 'transition' via single candidate 'election' from one dictator to another (the first's top general).
Ben_C
June 21st, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Who cares??? This is just the under-card fight leading up to the main event anyway… It's all about 'context'….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-hB1TzoG7M
Cantrou
June 21st, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Sounds familiar. I wonder how long it will be before these arms and these latest friends attack American, kill Americans and maybe fly planes into our buildings like our similar friends from Charlie Wilson's war did.
Porty
June 21st, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Next we'll hear the surprising news that the CIA's rebels are torturing people.
Augustbrhm
June 21st, 2012 at 4:38 pm
You jackass this is america`s stock in trade they love mayhem murder even when they dont do it themselves do not forget "IRAQ" INVASION" [ONE MILLION DEAD] god bless america "jerk"
Augustbrhm
June 21st, 2012 at 4:44 pm
america loves killing mayhem murder destruction sanctions it is a bloodsoaked country as no one can match her reputation since 1776 to the present "ONE HUNDRED MILLION WAS MURDERED BY THE YANKS"and counting.
Rick
June 21st, 2012 at 7:21 pm
I love how its just considered normal for an agency like the CIA to operate completely outside the law. Essentially a government unto itself with no accountability.
keltrava
June 21st, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Well at least there is some use for ISO quality control. Looks like some rebel groups now proudly display their accreditation.
CassandraSpeaks
June 21st, 2012 at 11:35 pm
We tried this in the 1980s in Afghanistan, but it seems we didn't learn anything.
08oo
June 22nd, 2012 at 1:30 am
"The opposition in Syria is an unorganized, unreliable, unaccountable group of localized rebel militias"???
They are not ! These mostly foreign death squad actions (not an uprise and no civil war!) are actually a secret US ARMY UNCONVENTIONAL WAR 1) that has been carefully planned many years ago 2) with similar strategies and tactics and death squads they already used in the framework of their "Arab spring" covered actions, including the war against Libya. This has always been and is controlled by USA using CIA and other NATO secret services and especially their helper Arab dictator states of Saudi-Arabia and Qatar which did already support them in the war against Libya with secret troops, tanks, extensive weapon and material delivery for any aspect of these wars.
We have even a high-ranking Saudi statement that the death squads in Syria were armed from the beginning: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_N0oeGgpjg” target=”_blank”>www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_N0oeGgpjg
In addition to this terror and guerrilla war with many false flag actions designed to blame Syrian government of massacres, there is also a civil arm of this unconventional war: OTPOR, US Revolution consultant hired 43 times watch?hl=en&v=lpXbA6yZY-8 Hover, this seems not to work very well, because most Syrians understand that this is a US war against Syria and that Al Qaeda is Al CIAda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCqmI1SQB5o or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itfGnOUXSNU
1) (search for USArmy-UW.pdf Extract: 1-1. The intent of U.S. UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE (UW) efforts is to exploit a hostile power’s political, military, economic, and psychological vulnerabilities by developing and sustaining resistance forces to accomplish U.S. strategic objectives."
There is another type of warfare—new in its intensity, ancient in its origin—war by guerrillas, subversives, insurgents, assassins; war by ambush instead of by combat, by
infiltration instead of aggression, seeking victory by eroding and exhausting the enemy
instead of engaging him. It preys on unrest."
source: Special Forces Unconventional Warfare; Training Circular No. 18-01
US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School
2) <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKnSqmwqVtI” target=”_blank”>www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKnSqmwqVtI and more detailed: time window of 5-10- or more years "for war against former soviet client states" in the Middle East and North-Africa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY2DKzastu8&fe… another voice:watch?v=adG7VsrwFRA
If you believe their propaganda to be opposed to islamist extremist check this:
Ex-CIA officer: Braindead West wants Jihadists to rule Libya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FMXud80xI0
French defense expert:
At 3:50: USA they "have a secret agreement with the Jihadists: YOU GET THE SHARIA AND WE GET THE OIL"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZKA0F0XQDI
globalresearch.ca reporter from Libya:
13:20 NTC people: it was the USA who brought in Al Qaida. Libyans do not want the islamists, but the US wants them and is controlling them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsKx7kbvkJA
08oo
June 22nd, 2012 at 1:38 am
No – Qatar is only a tool and partner for the USA. It was the USA who had planned this long list of wars or "revolutions" in the former soviet client states reaching from former European Eastern block, to the Balkan wars, to Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Liyba, Syria, Yemen Somalia, Lebanon, Iran and this has been proofed many times by the best sources:
US General and former democrat US Presidency candidate Wesley Clark: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKnSqmwqVtI” target=”_blank”>www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKnSqmwqVtI and more detailed: time window of 5-10- or more years "for war against former soviet client states" in the middle est and North-Africa without Russian intervention: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY2DKzastu8&fe… another voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adG7VsrwFRA
08oo
June 22nd, 2012 at 2:04 am
This is not new. It has been planned years ago ! See my other comments below. It just has been censored by mainstream media.
08oo
June 22nd, 2012 at 2:14 am
USA can not longer hide that they are behind all wars against former soviet friendship states and the so-called "Arab spring" – so New Yorck Times admits a tiny detail that alegedly "began just recently" to cover the big picture that is already widely known outside mainstream media. (See my other postings here)
kumbayaga
June 22nd, 2012 at 3:03 am
Indeed you did, Mr. Giraldi…but the news department here is a bit slow on the uptake…
Yonatan
June 22nd, 2012 at 8:31 am
I don't understand what is in it for Turkey. When the dust settles, weapons will find their way to the Kurds who be able to escalate conflict with Turkey. What does Turkey get out of it. Membership of the EU? (sick joke!)
mojo
June 22nd, 2012 at 9:27 am
Not only they can get a real drink there, there is a horrrrrr house delivering women of any kind to the hotel of your choice, if you go to the hotel bars you will see all kind of uncle Sam uniformed and civilians hand in hand with cousins of all kind of kings from Saudis to UAE to England there.
jrs
June 22nd, 2012 at 11:56 am
There were people early on who opposed the creation of the CIA from the beginning. Needless to say, they lost.
Budd Weiser
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:31 pm
You aren't the sharpest tool in the shed, are you Augustbroom?
Budd Weiser
June 22nd, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Charlie's War was about Afghanistan. The ones who flew planes into tall buildings were, according to the official report, from Saudi Arabia. Geographically challenged much?
Popsiq
June 22nd, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Somebody who worked for Lowes or Home Depot has brought the notion of a tool for evey purpose into American Foreign policy. It all goes to show what a 'threat' Islam really is, with all those bashi-bazouks willing to kill their cousins for a few mass-produced greenbacks – or freedumb or liberty..
Nathan
June 22nd, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Everyone knows by now that the so-called “Syrian opposition fighters” are nothing but a motley of terrorists and saboteurs. If one accepts that to be true, then those helping and abetting the terrorists are also terrorists. As our beloved ex-president has said if you’re not with us, you’re with the terrorists.
Well, now that you know what CIA is, what are you going to do about it Mr USA? Don’t you constantly claim that you are fighting terrrrrrst?!