Free Republic

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...

US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rogers says there is "real concern" WMDs could be deployed at "moment's notice." Photo: Courtesy Syria's chemical weapons could be used at "a moment's notice" and the international community should not accept any assurances from Syrian officials that they will not be used, US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said on Wednesday.US and other Western officials recently issued sharp warnings to Syrian President Bashar Assad not to deploy chemical weapons. Syria called those warnings a "pretext for intervention" in the civil war. Related: 'UK plans to provide military aid to Syria rebels' US recognizes...

Leader of new U.S.-backed Syrian rebel coalition: Obama shouldn’t have designated some of our fighters as terrorists posted at 5:21 pm on December 12, 2012 by Allahpundit A short but important footnote to the NYT’s story about Assad using scud missiles against the rebels. Remember, this is supposed to be the new pro-western face of the Syrian opposition that’ll make deeper U.S. involvement more politically palatable. But the leader of the coalition took issue with a decision by the Obama administration to classify Al Nusra Front — one of several armed groups fighting Mr. Assad — as a foreign...