Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDennis Kucinich: 8 Reasons Why Congress Should Vote No on Training and Funding Syrian Rebels
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-j-kucinich/8-reasons-why-congress-sh_b_5834814.htmlToday Congress will vote on the McKeon Amendment, a piece of legislation most Americans haven't heard of. But the consequences of the vote today are grave: funding Syrian "rebels" will precipitate a new and wider war in the Middle East. Here are eight reasons why Congress should vote NO on the McKeon Amendment:
1. It is a waste of money.
We'd be on the hook for a projected $21 billion price tag over three years. The Pentagon plans to train 5,000 rebels in the next year, which at $1 million for each soldier could cost up to $15 billion dollars over the three-year war. The nearly 2,000 U.S. troops in Iraq will cost $6 billion over three years.
The last Iraq War added at least $5 trillion to the long-term deficit.
2. There are no "moderates"
Historian Alastair Crooke, writing about the connection between Saudi Arabia and ISIS, recently described "moderate" insurgents in Syria as being "rarer than a mythical unicorn." "Moderates" have a non-aggression pact with ISIS. "Moderates" captured an American journalist and sold him to ISIS, who beheaded him. Saudi Arabia, which, with Qatar funded the jihadists in Syria, is now offering to "train" the rebels. Congress is being asked to swallow this concoction: the sponsors of radical jihadists are going to train "moderate" jihadists.
3. The truth is, we don't know who we are training.
The so-called "rebels" are mercenaries who come from over 20 countries. They constantly organize and reorganize into new groups with allegiances to whoever is paying them or supplying them with arms at any given moment. The U.S. has supplied weapons to the Iraqi government and to Syrian rebels which have ended up in the hands of ISIS. As a result, the U.S. Air Force has been bombing Humvees and armored troop carriers purchased with U.S. taxpayer money. ISIS has large quantities of U.S.-made assault weapons and ammunition. Is the U.S. Treasury now their piggy bank?
4. Those receiving U.S. money will turn on us.
....more....
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 509 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (7)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Dennis Kucinich: 8 Reasons Why Congress Should Vote No on Training and Funding Syrian Rebels (Original Post)
G_j
Sep 2014
OP
CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)1. K&R for DK.