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Syria Rebel Leader Says He’ll Ask U.S. for Anti-Aircraft Missiles
Rebels to Ask for Antiaircraft Missiles
(about 7 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The head of the Syrian opposition said in an interview Tuesday night that he would ask the Obama administration to provide anti-aircraft missiles and would try to convince American officials that the weapons would not fall into the wrong hands.
WASHINGTON — The head of the Syrian opposition says that he will ask the Obama administration to provide antiaircraft missiles and will try to convince American officials that the weapons would not fall into the wrong hands.
Ahmad Jarba, who heads the opposition coalition, also confirmed reports that Syrian rebels had received American TOW anti-tank missiles — TOW stands for tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided — and asserted that the shipment had enabled the opposition to demonstrate that it was able to use and maintain control of advanced American weaponry.
In an interview on Tuesday night, Ahmad Assi al-Jarba, president of the opposition coalition, also confirmed reports that Syrian rebels had received American TOW antitank missiles and said the shipment had enabled the opposition to demonstrate that it was able to use and maintain control of advanced American weaponry.
“We are not asking our friends to send their sons to our country, and we are also not asking for a direct intervention, even one from the air,” Mr. Jarba said in the interview.
Mr. Jarba, who is visiting Washington for the first time, plans to meet with a senior Pentagon official, leading members of Congress and Secretary of State John Kerry. A White House official said President Obama was expected to see him.
“We are asking for anti-aircraft weapons in order to neutralize these planes, which are throwing the barrel bombs on us,” he added, referring to bombs, used by the Syrian Air Force, that are made from barrels filled with explosives. “And we have plans and guarantees that these weapons will not fall into the wrong hands.”
In an effort to present a unified front to the Americans, Mr. Jarba is accompanied by Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir, the new leader of the military wing of the Syrian opposition.
Mr. Jarba, who is visiting Washington for the first time, plans to meet with senior Pentagon officials, Secretary of State John Kerry, White House officials and leading members of Congress.
The trip came as President Bashar al-Assad of Syria appears to have gained the upper hand in the civil war and Mr. Obama has continued to express wariness about becoming more deeply involved. Administration officials and members of Congress in both parties have raised questions about the effectiveness of the Syrian opposition and whether it adequately represents the rebels who are doing the brunt of the fighting.
In an effort to present a unified front to American officials, Mr. Jarba is accompanied by Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir, the new head of the military wing of the Syrian opposition.
The opposition has long pressed for antiaircraft weapons to blunt the government’s advantage in the air, but American officials have been concerned that the weapons might fall into the hands of extremists.
His trip comes as President Bashar al-Assad of Syria appears to have gained the upper hand in the civil war and President Obama has continued to express wariness about becoming more deeply involved. Administration officials and members of Congress in both parties have raised many questions about the effectiveness of the Syrian opposition and whether it adequately represents rebels who are doing the brunt of the fighting on the ground.
Mr. Jarba said that the missiles would be given only to fighters known to American officials.
The Syrian opposition has long pressed for anti-aircraft weapons to try to blunt the Assad government’s advantage in the air, but American officials have long been concerned that anti-aircraft weapons might fall into the hands of extremists and has urged its allies not to provide them.
“We have a number of fighters who are elite and who are trained and who are trusted, and our friends know who they are,” Mr. Jarba said.
Asked how he could assure that the opposition would not lose control of the weapons, Mr. Jarba said they would be given only to fighters who were known to American officials.
Mr. Jarba used a speech on Wednesday at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington to reintroduce himself to the American public, portraying himself as a moderate who represented a viable alternative to Qaeda-linked militants and Mr. Assad.
“We have a number of fighters who are elite and who are trained and who are trusted and our friends know who they are,” Mr. Jarba said. “So in that sense we do not believe there is a problem.”
Mr. Jarba declined to say how many of the advanced American anti-tank missiles the rebels had been given or when they were provided. But he said that the opposition had already shown that it could be trusted with the weapons and suggested that the United States could guard against the diversion of advanced weapons by providing them to the rebels in increments.
“We used these TOW missiles, and they were used correctly,” he said. “In any case, we are not asking for, nor would we accept, that we get a big shipment of weapons that come all at once.”
In a speech on Wednesday at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, Mr. Jarba reintroduced himself to the American public and portrayed himself as a moderate who represented a viable alternative to Qaeda-linked militants and Mr. Assad.
“There is a misperception among public opinion,” he said. “This may be a shortcoming on our part.”
“There is a misperception among public opinion,” he said. “This may be a shortcoming on our part.”
Mr. Jarba said in the speech that he had attended a Protestant school as a child in Syria and insisted that his group was prepared for a negotiated solution that would protect the rights of minorities, but would not include a role for Mr. Assad.
Mr. Jarba said in the speech that he had attended a Protestant school as a child in Syria and that his group was prepared for a negotiated solution that would protect the rights of minorities, but would not include a role for Mr. Assad.
Mr. Jarba argued that he had done his part by participating in the recent peace talks in Geneva, but that the talks had been frustrated by the Assad government. He maintained that strengthening the opposition would increase the rebels’ leverage if another round of talks was held.
“This regime understands only the language of power,” he said.
On Monday, the State Department said that it was upgrading the opposition’s diplomatic status and promised an additional $27 million in nonlethal assistance.
On Monday, the State Department said that it was upgrading the opposition’s diplomatic status and promised an additional $27 million in nonlethal assistance.
Mr. Jarba sought to characterize the evacuation of the central city of Homs as a temporary setback that was necessary to protect the remaining civilians.
Mr. Jarba also sought to characterize the current evacuation of the central city of Homs as a temporary setback that was necessary to protect the remaining civilians.
“There is a siege that has been going on for a year and a half,” he said on Wednesday. “Nothing gets in. No medication. No food and no water.”
“What is important for us as an opposition at this point is to preserve their lives,” he said of the civilians there.
“In all battles, you have rhythms,” he added, insisting that the opposition would eventually “gain back the city.”
“In all battles, you have rhythms,” he added, insisting that the opposition would eventually “gain back the city.”
But returning to one of his main themes, Mr. Jarba said that even if the rebels took Homs back, it would never be secure unless the opposition was given weapons to counter the Assad government’s warplanes and helicopters.
