Syria crisis: US steps up aid to rebels at talks in Turkey (Kerry: Mo' Money)

BBC ^ | 20 April 2013 Last updated at 18:31 ET | BBC

[haffast]

Mr Kerry told the meeting in Istanbul that the US would provide Syrian rebels $123m in new, non-lethal aid.

He said President Barack Obama was committed to a "democratic, unified, post-Assad Syria".

More than 60,000 have died in the two-year uprising against Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Kerry also announced that all aid from the 11 countries known as the Friends of Syria would now be channelled through the Turkey-based Free Syrian Army group headed by Gen Salim Idris.

The meeting in Istanbul brought together the foreign ministers of countries opposing the government of President Assad.

Mr Kerry said the meeting had brought significant advances.

He said: "The situation in Syria is horrific. It is horrible." He accused the Assad government of "using ballistic missiles against innocent people" and "using his air force to rain down terror on the people of his country".

Mr Kerry said Mr Obama had instructed him to step up efforts with the opposition and that the Friends of Syria were committed to a "mutually consented transitional government and then an elected new leader".

The rebels have been pushing for military supplies and insisted in Istanbul that any weapons they received would not "fall into the wrong hands".

The US and EU have so far refused to supply the rebels with weapons.

The Western allies are concerned that they may end up in the hands of Islamist extremists inspired by al-Qaeda.

snip

[haffast]

Syria. Remember them? The Obamites can't figure out who the terrorists are over there either. Maybe some Bostonians could point them out to them.

[Jim Robinson]

"Using ballistic missiles against innocent people"

Who the hell does he think he is? Obama?

[golf lover]

Oxymoron: “democratic, unified, post-Assad Syria”.

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

Obama has supported terrorist in several countries. Both sides of all these conflicts were fought by anti-American scumbags.

www.OATHKEEPERS.org

[ogen hal]

What a clown-car administration...nobama, kerry and hagel. If only klintoon was part of this feckless and clueless cabal. Don’t you feel safe?

[Cronos]

in short Obama is going to give weapons and money to AlQaeda.

I support Assad killing these Sunni jihadis.

[ThermoNuclearWarrior]

We have been ineffective at removing this criminal government after two scandals that should have finished the regime, and brought serious criminal charges against many of them. We are getting another scandal with the Boston terrorist attack, and we must remove him this time.

Guardians of the Republic - www.OathKeepers.org

www.CSPOA.org