The Obama administration’s move to partner with Turkey to carve out a “safe zone” in northern Syria is drawing increasing criticism from national security insiders on both the left and right who see a gaping hole in the plan: There aren’t enough U.S.-friendly rebels on the ground to secure and hold the territory.
To hear administration officials tell it, the plan relies heavily on an army of “moderate Syrian opposition” fighters vetted by the CIA and trained by American special operations forces. With the backing of U.S. drones and fighter jets, these rebels would clear villages and towns of Islamic State militants along the Syrian side of Turkey’s border.
But despite spending more than $250 million over the past year to recruit and train those rebels at semi-clandestine bases that U.S. officials say have been set up in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, the program has produced fewer than 100 viable fighters for the ground unit known as Division 30.
But despite spending more than $250 million over the past year to recruit and train those rebels at semi-clandestine bases that U.S. officials say have been set up in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, the program has produced fewer than 100 viable fighters for the ground unit known as Division 30.
Despite all these investments and the fact that people in Congress voted last year to authorize $500 million to train a reliable and capable partner than can hold territory that might be seized not only from the Islamic State, but also from Jabhat al-Nusra, the force does not seem to exist,” said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow with the Center for American Progress, who focuses on the Middle East and terrorism.
More stories:
http://usnews.in/captured-during-a-delta-force-raid-in-syria/
http://usnews.in/nato-discusses-turkey-syria-border-crisis/
http://usnews.in/us-failure-in-syria-is-particularly-striking/
http://usnews.in/kurdish-contenders-request-that-we-separate-hollywood-performing-artist-in-syria/
ref:washingtontimes
