Source: RT
The White House is saying “no” to arming opposition and other
military involvement in the Syrian conflict – for the moment. Pentagon
and US Central Command launched a review of US military capabilities in
case that “no” turns a “yes.”
The backdoor for military action was ajar with State Department,
spokesman Victoria Nuland saying that US never takes any option off the
table, even though they “don't think more arms into Syria is the answer." It appears the Pentagon has a similar view, as it has reportedly launched a full-scale review of its available military might.
Two senior administration officials told CNN that “options are being prepared in the event President Barack Obama was to call for them.” Support for opposition groups and outright military strikes are among the options being looked at.
This
type of planning exercise is typical for the Pentagon, which would not
want to be in the position of not having options for the president, if
and when they are asked for, both officials told CNN. One of them called
the effort a “scoping exercise,” with Pentagon looking into what capabilities are available given other US military commitments in the region.
US President Barack Obama said in an interview Sunday that he believes it is possible to resolve the conflict peacefully “without recourse to outside military intervention.”
However, some congressional lawmakers, including Arizona's Republican
Senator John McCain, called for the US to explore the prospect of arming
opposition forces in Syria.
"We should start considering options, arming the opposition," McCain said. "The bloodletting has got to stop."
The
US and other Western powers are wary of engaging closely with would-be
rebel forces without the legal protection of UN resolution, similar to
the one that was passed in the case of Libya. But in the wake of Russia
and China vetoing a Security Council resolution calling for Syrian
President Bashar Assad to step down, they are forced to look for other
solutions.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called Sunday for "friends of democratic Syria"
to unite and rally against Assad's regime. She has also vowed to
strengthen existing sanctions against the Syrian regime and seek further
ones to dry up funding and arms shipments.
"We will work
to seek regional and national sanctions against Syria. They will be
implemented to the fullest to dry up the sources of funding and the arms
shipments that are keeping the regime's war machine going," Clinton told journalists. “We
will work with the friends of a democratic Syria around the world to
support the opposition’s peaceful political plans for change.”
Clinton did not specify who those “friends of a democratic Syria”
are, but it could be that the United States proceeds to form a group of
like-minded nations to coordinate assistance to the Syrian opposition.
