"U.S. Arms To Syria Are Ending Up In The Wrong Hands" Topic

"ISIS fighters are flaunting a modified variant of the M14 in a newly released propaganda video detailing the terror group's urban warfare tactics as it makes a last stand against the U.S.-backed coalition laying siege to its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. The video, which shows armed drones, vehicle-borne IEDs, and other unusual armament in action against Syrian Democratic Forces in the crowded thoroughfares of the city, is yet another example of U.S. military weapons and equipment ending up in the hands of militants across the battlefields of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria and utilized against the very Western-backed forces they were meant to strengthen…"

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Amicalement
Armand

I think we can thank the Iraqi army for handing all of that equipment over to ISIS.

Anytime weapons are sent to the Middle East (except Israel) they end up in the wrong hands.

At one point the US had a program to train and equip "moderate" Syrian rebels in Qatar. I think I read here on TMP about a case of "moderate" rebels handing over their weapons to ISIS as soon as they crossed the border into Syria. That program of training the "moderate" rebels has been scrapped.

The US does't learn from its own history. We provided the Mujahideen stinger missiles back in the 80s. Where did all those missiles end up? A few years back the ATF (alcohol, tobacco, firearms) agency was selling weapons to drug cartels in Mexico as part of a disastrous program called 'fast and furious' which resulted in drug cartels having more weapons without a single arrest. It's all truly sickening.

Subsidizing your enemies can be considered an investment in the continuation of your government agency. No enemies, no budget. No budget, no career.

Begemot, never ascribe to evil that which can be explained by incompetence. I was in the Army Reserve for many years and worked with many other Federal agencies, and I have worked in several multi-agency Federal buildings.

I saw very little evil. I saw a lot of wishful thinking and naivete and incompetence. "We will send weapons to those who are fighting our enemies and they will like us in return." No, we will send weapons to people who are fighting our enemies and who will continue to hate us.

Just as in WWII when we sent weapons to the Soviet Union. The Communists did not suddenly think we were wonderful. Stalin never stopped hating the West and plotting against us, just as the "moderates" of today have done.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
bunkermeister.blogspot.com

At least from what was reported here the moderate rebels were very few in number, seem to have basically dumped at the border, and were picked up by the likes of Al-Nusra or ISIS as soon as they crossed. They were probably lucky not to butchered out of hand for associating with US forces, and some probably were, but I'd guess on being offered the choice of handing over all your gear and money right now in 'taxes' or getting your head sawn off on camera many made the obvious choice. If your going to train an 'army in exile' it has to be an army and capable of making it to its proposed area of operations!

The weapons to Libya to bring down Gaddafi ended up going everywhere too. Chad, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Yemen, even Syria. Places where both Al-Qaeda (Al Nusra) and ISIS have associates.

Maybe it's time to stop dealing with those associates.

Dan