UK planned to train and equip Syrian rebels

Описание: BBC Newsnight reevals that the the UK had plans to train and equip a 100,000-member Syrian rebel army to defeat President Bashar al-Assad. The secret initiative, put forward two years ago, was the brainchild of the then most senior UK military officer, General Sir David Richards.

It was considered by the PM and the National Security Council, as well as US officials, but was deemed too risky.

The plan was seen as the only to stop the the civilian bloodshed in Syria as rebels fought troops loyal to Mr Assad. Either Assad had to win or the rebels had to win.

'Extract, equip, train'

The idea was considered by David Cameron and Dominic Grieve, the attorney general, and sent to the National Security Council, Whitehall sources said.

The plan was also proposed to the Obama Administration, including General Martin Dempsey. And now Obama has announced he wants $500 million in funding to train Syrian rebels - an echo of Lord Richards' plan.

With ministers having pledged not to commit British "boots on the ground", his initiative proposed vetting and training a substantial army of moderate Syrian rebels at bases in Turkey and Jordan.

Mr Cameron was told the "extract, equip, train" plan would involve an international coalition. It would take a year, but this would buy time for an alternative Syrian government to be formed in exile, the PM was told.



"THIS VIDEO IS FAIR USE UNDER U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW BECAUSE IT IS (1) NON-COMMERCIAL, (2) TRANSFORMATIVE IN NATURE, (3) USES NO MORE OF THE ORIGINAL WORK THAN NECESSARY FOR THE VIDEO'S PURPOSE, AND (4) DOES NOT COMPETE WITH THE ORIGINAL WORK AND COULD HAVE NO NEGATIVE AFFECT ON ITS MARKET."