Though the Obama Administration has already announced its intentions to start arming Syria’s rebellion, Western nations are extremely split on the issue, with Germany leading a group of nations who fear that arming the Islamist rebels is going to have long-term negative impacts on security across the region.
The US has tried to spin the arms as aimed at breaking a stalemated civil war, but experts warn it could have the opposite effect and instead prevent peace talks and prolong the conflict.
Of course, whether the US actually delivers the pledged aid is another matter entirely, as the vast majority of the cash aid pledged to the rebels has never been delivered in the first place.
Those delays are because of the divided nature of the rebellion, with the State Department often withholding promised funds in an effort to get groups to unite. With the vetting process further complicating the question of weapons, it could be quite some time before US arms are having a real impact on the ongoing war.
prolong the conflict. that's the general idea.
Have no fear! Nations "who fear that arming the Islamist rebels is going to have long-term negative impacts on security across the region" should know better! The idea is that the US military is there to fight the enemies it is busy creating!! In an age where most conflicts are quite localized and often are no business of outsiders, how else to ensure it's future usefulness by instigating or taking sides in conflicts that are of no concern to it?
In five years our terrorist pals will be trumpeted as our eternal, existential enemies – as long as Israel tells America what to do in the M.E.