Blog #2: Pentagon leaders favored arming Syrian rebels

 Deborah Hilton
2/7/2013

    September 11th will always be known for the terrorist attacks around the world. And recently, now the Benghazi attack will be added to that list. 4 were killed at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya after a surprise attack took place by militants who set fire to the consulate before occupants could escape or reinforcement had arrived.
    On Thursday, February 7th, defense secretary Leon Panatta and General Martin Dempsey who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff were questioned in a hearing held by the Senate Armed Services Committee who are investing the Benghazi attacks. Last year, former CIA Director David Petraeus supported the State Department by asking that aid be provided in weapons to the resistance in Syria. Both Dempsey and Panetta both agreed. Obama has always been opposed to this, for fear it might back fire since some of Syrian resistance is tied with al-Qaeda.
    Whether or not weapons would have or have not been provided does not mean that the attacks would not have taken place. Although there is much back and forth on the Benghazi attacks about who asked the Pentagon for aid and who denied the request, but this is not what I wanted to focus on with this article. I think it is more beneficial to prevent further attacks in Benghazi rather than argue about whose fault it was.
    Panatta and Dempsey both validated the idea of providing resistance in Syria with guns but President Obama has some valid concerns. I think that putting guns into the wrong hands, could be detrimental to peace in Syria. This could cause a ripple effect back to the United States. I do however think that there is protection needed and providing humanitarian aid and non-lethal equipment is not going to do much to help. But providing trained soldiers who are taught to protect will be the most effective way of reducing violence all together. This would eliminate any threat of guns being placed in the wrong hands, and also provide the resistance groups with protection.




Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-leaders-said-they-favored-arming-syrian-rebels/2013/02/07/aff3e10c-715a-11e2-b5f8-9a5465abcc30_story.html