UK ready to supply arms to Syrian rebels if peace talks fail

[jakeXT]

...

Britain’s Foreign Office insists that no final decision on whether to arm the rebels has yet been made. But a senior UK diplomat told the Financial Times that Britain could be in a position to arm the rebels this summer if, as many expect, the planned peace conference in Geneva fails to make headway.

“The precise timing has not yet been finalised and no decision has yet been taken. But we are likely to be ... shipping arms to the rebels by August,” the official said.

“What I expect is that over the next two or three months western powers will move low-grade arms supplies in bulk to the rebels. The rebels need ammunition, and a lot of it, just to keep fighting.”

Another British official told the FT that there were strong expectations in Britain and France that the US might also provide weapons supplies if peace talks fail, despite the reluctance so far of the Obama administration to step up its engagement in Syria.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a2040500-ca05-11e2-af47-00144feab7de.htm

Report: UK ready to arm Syria rebels if peace talks fail

Britain is prepared to send arms to Syrian rebels should peace talks set for June fail to bring about an end to the conflict, The Financial Times reported on Friday, citing UK officials.

“The precise timing has not yet been finalized and no decision has yet been taken. But we are likely to be ... shipping arms to the rebels by August,” the Times quoted the official as saying.

“What I expect is that over the next two or three months western powers will move low-grade arms supplies in bulk to the rebels. The rebels need ammunition, and a lot of it, just to keep fighting,” the official added.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Report-UK-ready-to-arm-Syria-rebels-if-peace-talks-fail-315068

[Laelth]

1. This is alarming.

I am one who believes the US needs to stay out of the Syrian conflict. I think we'll do more harm than good if we get involved.

It is alarming to me that unnamed members of the UK's Foreign Office are making these kinds of sabre-rattling statements. I don't think they would say these kinds of things unless a tentative agreement had already been reached with the US to arm the rebels. In other words, one way to read this article is to conclude that Obama has already made the decision to become involved in Syria on the side of the rebels. Another way to look at this news would be to assume the UK is just pressuring the Syrian regime to make concessions in Geneva. That's possible, but I am concerned that the first reading may be correct.

This is a story well worth watching.

-Laelth

[scarletwoman]

2. Why not? What could possibly go wrong?

[Kolesar]

3. Yeah. It could turn the Syrian situation into a bad thing

[scarletwoman]

4. So, when the whole Arab world - plus Iran - erupts into a Sunni vs. Shia sectarian war,

which side should the Western powers take?