US-made missiles reportedly in hands of Islamist fighters in Syria

Long War Journal ^ | May 6, 2014 | By Lisa Lundquist

[Brad from Tennessee]

While the opposition Syrian National Coalition, headed by Ahmad Jarba, has been meeting with US officials this week in Washington in an effort to secure further support, including more funding and additional antitank and antiaircraft weapons, news from Syria indicates that some advanced US-made weapons are already being used in various Syrian provinces by rebel fighters.

Over the past few weeks, media reports have stressed that US officials have begun a "pilot program" of providing small quantities of advanced weapons, including TOW missiles, to vetted "moderate" groups, and specifically the Harakat Hazm, which fights in a newly formed coalition called the Southern Front.

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Yesterday the opposition activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the Islamic Front, a large coalition of mainly Islamist fighting groups, was using US TOW missiles in clashes in Aleppo against the forces of President Bashar al Assad and allies. According to SOHR, the Islamic Front (which it refers to as "Islamic battalions") employed the weapons in Aleppo's Al Sheik Najjar area and near Al Brej, and possibly near the air force intelligence building in Al Zahraa district as well. . .

[Cowboy Bob]

I don’t support Obama. Does that disappoint you?

[null and void]

EVERYTHING obama does either:

a) Weakens America/Americans
b) Distances America's allies
c) Strengthens America's enemies
d) Serves Islam
e) Harms Israel
Or some combination of the above.

I have yet to have anyone raise a single substantive counter example in several years of posting this.

[DBrow]

I remember reports saying that some of our “advanced depots” in the area had tens of thousands of A4’s and ammo missing, but I don’t remember the timing.

[mcshot]

Pickin on our “reverse ace” eh......good on you and right on.

[blueplum]

ummm. so the weapons Hillary put into the hands of Libyian ‘rebels’ and that Stevens was trying to buy back, have magically reappeared, under official colors, in Syria. How convenient for the storyline. Thanks hillary, kerry and Zero, for setting the war on Jihad back 20 years and further endangering our troops in Afganistan. Hellofa job.

[I want the USA back]

There are no good guys over there. The enemies of our enemies are our enemies. Sending anything to them will guarantee that it ends up in the wrong hands.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks McShot

[CSM]

Ding, ding, ding, we have a Benghazi winner!

[mouser]

I wonder how long till china has one to copy and then all of the terrorist will have all they want

[SunkenCiv]

The jihadist mullahcracy of Iran put 19,000 of its thugs into Syria early on, plus called in its proxy thugs out of Lebanon, all with the intention of propping up Assad. If one believed three years of the steady agitprop drumbeat, US-made missiles have been in the hands of various rebels in Syria ever since Assad started his butchery, but apparently they've just been holding back using them all that time. Meanwhile, from Iran's sponsor -- Russia Set to Send 36 Jets to Syrian Government.

[morphing libertarian]

It’s just the Hero of Benghazi trying to increase the self-esteem of muslims.

[MasterGunner01]

How utterly “unexpected”. Thank you POTUS Barry Obama, SecState Hillary Clinton, and Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens.

[The Toll]

And they could shoot down 1000 commercial flights with them and not a single democrat voter would change their party.

[Just mythoughts]

October 26, 2012 report by Jennifer Griffin .... 20,000 missing MANPADS

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/26/cia-operators-were-denied-request-for-help-during-benghazi-attack-sources-say/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3022843/posts

I am no weapons expert, so I do not know if the acronym MANPAD is used specifically for US-made or not.