Are we already Arming Syrian Rebels?

According to the Syrian rebels' leader, both France and the United States are already arming them, despite the fact that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed opposition to doing so during an interview with CBS (video below). During that interview, Clinton said it would be a mistake to arm the rebels because they consist of both al-Qaeda and now Hamas, which recently pledged support for the opposition.

So how do we explain this, Mrs. Clinton?

Via Russia Today / Eurasia Review:

A general in the opposition militia known as the Free Syria Army has told journalists that the rebels have received French and American military assistance, amid reports of worsening violence in the stricken nation.

In Homs on Tuesday, a general claiming to be from the rebel group appeared on camera and told a journalist from Reuters news agency that “French and American assistance has reached us and is with us.” When asked to elaborate on the nature of the assistance he added, “We now have weapons and anti-aircraft missiles and, God willing, with all of that we will defeat Bashar [President Assad].”

A little further into the article...

This is not the first report of the US covertly supplying the opposition with arms. In December, FBI translator turned whistleblower Sibel Edmonds said she believed the US had been training the Syrian opposition in neighboring Turkey and supplying arms to the country from Incirlik military base close to the Turkish-Syrian border.

In addition, Qatar and Saudi Arabia reportedly held secret meetings to offer financial support to the Syrian rebels to buy weapons.

Turkey's involvement is key because the Islamic caliphate sought by the Muslim Brotherhood would be based in Turkey. If these reports are true, it means the United States is actively working with Turkey to further the cause of the Muslim Brotherhood.

So why would the Secretary of State claim that arming the rebels would be a mistake while her country is arming them at the same time? Amid news reports that al-Qaeda and Hamas are among the rebels she couldn't come out publicly and say we're doing it if, in fact we are. Say, isn't that mentality similar to the one that seems to have been prevalent in Operation Fast and Furious?

Either way, even if the Russia Today report is false, it's still propaganda that can be used by Russia, China, and Iran. All three of those entities support Assad and our arming of the rebels provokes all of those countries unnecessarily while aiding an increasingly powerful Muslim Brotherhood.

***UPDATE*** 3/1/12: Sibel Edmonds cannot be considered a reliable source for this story. She is also a 9/11 Truther. Until there are more credible, corroborating reports about the U.S. supplying arms to the Syrian rebels, the claim cannot be confirmed.

Here is the CBS interview with Clinton, via Shoebat:



h/t Weasel Zippers