Sources familiar with the current British government say that initial plans to arm Syrian rebels, loudly championed by Prime Minister David Cameron, have been scrapped outright amid growing popular opposition.
“Britain is clearly not going to arm the rebels in any way, shape, or form,” noted one source quoted by Reuters, who pointed to parliament’s demand for prior consultation before any arms were sent.
Public concerns have centered around the rise of al-Qaeda-linked fighters to a position of dominance among the rebels, and fear that arms would eventually find their way to such groups and be used against targets in Europe afterwards.
Polls have shown similar concerns among American voters, though the US government appears to have ignored them and insists that it continues to plan to arm rebels, and may attack Syria outright.
