Though the details of how they are being smuggled into Syria remain somewhat unclear, Syrian rebels have released yet more videos showing themselves in possession of US-made anti-tank missiles, and US officials are privately confirming that they are part of the US “backing” of rebellion.
Officials quoted by Reuters say that the decision was made to give the go-ahead to Saudi proposals to provide the rebels with the anti-tank BGM-71 TOW missiles, but that a similar proposal to supply surface-to-air missiles was rejected.
The National Security Council would not touch of the details, but said the US remains committed to the “moderate opposition” in Syria’s ongoing civil war, and would continue to provide “assistance to vetted members” of the rebellion.
The rebels had previously been using HJ-8 anti-tank missiles, a Chinese guided missile of similar design. The switch to US missiles is unlikely to be a dramatic shift in power for the rebels, though it is a significant shift in the US arming of rebels.
Hopefully, they will destroy each other with their new, US supplied, weaponry.
SAA had a video of the 'rebels' in a tank firing on two tractors in a parade in front of it by mistake. Give 'em enough rope…
No most likely they will use them on us, just as ben ladin did. We are a very stupid country, full of a bunch of Homer Simpsons…..
America just love to shed other people`s blood by any means necessary.
It would be useful to know which "rebels" are the ones strutting around with these TOW missiles. If it's the so-called "Free Syrian Army" those missiles are unlikely to ever leave Turkey. The progressively more marginalized Islamic Front? The "good al-Qaeda" of the al-Nusra Front? The most powerful "bad al-Qaeda" of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant? (NB: the US power establishment and Ayman al-Zawahiri are in 100% agreement as to who the "good" and "bad" al-Qaedas are.)