Report: Obama OKs support for Syrian rebels

Report: Obama OKs support for Syrian rebels

CAPTION

By Pete Souza, The White House

President Obama approved an additional $12 million in humanitarian assistance to Syria today, amid reports that he has also authorized covert aid to rebels who are seeking to topple the regime of Bashar Assad.White House officials also bashed Assad over the decision by peace envoy Kofi Annan to step down in the face of the Syrian government's continuing violence against its people.
"It is disgusting and really highlights the absolute requirement that -- for the future of the Syrian people -- Assad must step aside," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
Carney also said Annan's resignation "highlights the failure in the United Nations Security Council of Russian and China to support meaningful resolutions against Assad that would have held Assad accountable."
Meanwhile, White House officials refused to comment on reports that Obama has also signed an order authorizing U.S. support for rebels in their battle against Assad's government.
Carney did say that the U.S. is not providing weapons to the rebels.
"We provide non-lethal assistance to the opposition," he said. "We don't believe that adding to the number of weapons in Syria is what's needed to help bring about a peaceful transition."
In announcing the new $12 million aid, Carney said that "the United States is now providing over $76 million in assistance for food, water, medical supplies, clothing, hygiene kits, and other humanitarian relief to those most urgently in need."
There are also reports that the U.S. is providing covert aid to the Syrian rebels.
While details of an order signed by Obama earlier this year are unclear, Mark Hosenball of Reuters writes that the finding "broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad."
U.S. officials have expressed more support for the Syrian rebels since last month's failure of the United Nations Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions for Assad's government.
"The White House is for now apparently stopping short of giving the rebels lethal weapons, even as some U.S. allies do just that," Reuters says. "The full extent of clandestine support that agencies like the CIA might be providing also is unclear."
In his statement, Carney made clear that the $12 million is strictly humanitarian aid.
"After nearly 17 months of conflict, the humanitarian situation is dire and rapidly deteriorating," the statement said. "The United Nations estimates that over 1.5 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance, over 1 million people are internally displaced, and more than 130,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries."
CNN, citing "U.S. officials," also reported on Obama's order of covert support for the Syrian rebels.
From the CNN report:

The Obama administration has ruled out arming the rebels for now, providing only nonlethal assistance, such as communications equipment.
Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department approved a license allowing the Washington Syrian Support Group to provide direct financial assistance to the Free Syrian Army. The Washington-based representative of the Free Syrian Army is allowed to conduct financial transactions on the rebel group's behalf but is not allowed to send military equipment.
During the war in Libya, Obama signed a similar directive authorizing covert assistance for rebels in the battle against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.