Obama for Greater Covert Assistance to Syria’s Rebels

Local Editor

In his third year in the White House ,US President Barack Obama is sparing no effort to interfere in Syria.

According to Reuters, "nearing the end of his first term, with a presidential election looming in November, Obama is moving cautiously toward greater support for Syrian rebels."

Reuters has learned that the White House has crafted a presidential directive, called a "finding," that would authorize greater covert assistance for the rebels.
It is not clear whether Obama has signed the document, and US officials declined to comment on the finding, which is a highly classified authorization for covert activity.
But in recent days, the Obama administration has signaled publicly it plans more help for the rebels.

"I have to say that we are also increasing our efforts to assist the opposition," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday.
The administration is seeking ways to help the armed groups by increasing supplies of communications equipment and sharing intelligence about the army troop movements. The United States has already sent encrypted radios.
In a direct meddling in the Syrian crisis, Clinton hinted this week that if the rebels could control a swathe of Syrian territory from which to operate, more US and allied backing would follow.

In parallel, the agency pointed to differences among US administration on Syria. "One of the most telling signs that the administration sees few good options in Syria is the apparent lack of major policy disagreement among Obama's advisers. "There was more on Egypt and Libya," a senior administration official said.
"Sometimes you are faced with a set of options, none of which are good, and you make a judgment of what you think is the least bad of the options you face," said Dennis Ross, who advised Obama on Middle East policy. "In Syria, I think that's been the approach of the administration: adopt the least bad option."
"Direct US involvement would also bring the danger of a superpower confrontation," some US officials fear.

Source: Reuters, Edited by moqawama.org