>night owl
anyone ever watch this?
>Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes
The U.S. violated its own policy and gave Purple Shovel approval to acquire millions of dollars' worth of high-tech missiles for the rebels from Belarus, a dictatorship that is under sanctions by the European Union. Belarus, which has supplied weapons to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime and is accused of human rights violations, is normally off-limits to U.S. arms dealers. But the U.S. military and State Department agreed to make an exception, allowing 700 powerful anti-tank missiles to be purchased, with U.S. taxpayer funds, for the rebels.
A Pentagon spokesperson defended its Train and Equip program saying, "We remain committed to expanding the New Syrian Forces and will continue to support those who we have trained."
President Barack Obama gave a primetime televised speech from the White House, calling on Congress to approve his $500 million program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels.
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter testified that only 60 Syrians had been trained. Later, in a devastating blow, the Syrian commander trained by the Americans was captured along with some of his soldiers by Islamist rebels from the Jabhat al-Nusra group. The commander of Central Command, General Lloyd Austin, testified that only four or five of the U.S.-trained rebels were actually deployed and fighting ISIS.
>captured along with some of his soldiers
The abducted commander — Col. Nadim al-Hassan — heads a battalion called Division 30, whose fighters have reportedly been part of a Pentagon program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels. "Jabhat al-Nusra arrested him because they are against the U.S. program," Abu Zaid said.
>Division 30
https://www.timesofisrael.com/al-nusra-front-frees-7-us-backed-rebels-in-syria/
The Division 30 statement described Nusra Front fighters as “brothers” and thanked them for the release, saying, “We value this noble step.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Nusra_Front#Relations_with_al-Qaeda