U.S. President Barack Obama is reported to be
considering supplying weapons to the Syrian opposition, a move the United
States has resisted because of fears that arms could end up in the hands of
anti-Western rebels.
Senior White House officials say the president has
not yet made a decision, but has asked his national security team to identify
ways the United States can increase its assistance.
So far, that aid has been limited to non-lethal
support.
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden
said in a statement late Tuesday that U.S. aid for the opposition "has
been on an upward trajectory." But officials say efforts are still
being explored to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis, which has
stretched on for more than two years.
President Barack Obama said Tuesday he needs more
facts about chemical weapons use in Syria before committing to stronger action
against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Obama has called the use of chemical weapons in
Syria a "game changer," but refused to give details on what
options he would consider.
Last week, the White House told lawmakers it
believes "with varying degrees of confidence" that the Assad
government has used sarin gas against rebels.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is
urging Syria to allow an immediate and unconditional investigation into the
allegations.
Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari denies his
government has used chemical weapons and accuses the rebels of using them.
"If they had any proof, any evidence, any tools
- credible - they should share it with the secretary-general. They should
share it with us," he said. "They should share it with the remaining,
the other, members of the security council. This has not happened."
The leader of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant
group said the accusations about chemical weapons were an "attempt to
allow foreign intervention" to destroy Syria.
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah also said on Lebanese
television Tuesday that rebels could not defeat the government militarily, and
that those he calls Syria's "real friends" will not let Mr. Assad's
government fall.
The Syrian National Coalition criticized his
statements, saying he was repeating "threats and lies" from the Syrian
government. The main Syrian opposition group called on the Lebanese
government to stop Hezbollah fighters from entering Syria and
"pressuring" refugees in Lebanon.
Sources :
http://www.voanews.com/content/us-weighs-shift-in-syrian-opposition-aid/1652220.html
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