In my Sept. 25, post, “Our military on “hold” until January 2017,” I wrote about the Obama administration’s continued failures in foreign policy, and called your attention to the embarrassing testimony of Gen. Lloyd Austin. He was forced to report that just four or five trainees were active as a result of our Syrian rebel training program.
The Defense Department has pulled the plug on its fawed Syrian rebel training program. (defenseone.com)
I have to give him credit for his appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee. As the head of U. S. Central Command, he could have ordered someone in his command to draw the short straw.
Today, after $43 million was spent on the initial training of nine men, we learned that the plug has been pulled on that ill-advised program that was budgeted for $500 million to train 5,400 rebels. “I wasn’t satisfied with the early results in that regard,” was the unbelievable statement by Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
Now the plan is to support the Kurds. I hope this time we provide weapons and support directly to them rather than through Baghdad, where previous shipments were sent and never provided to the Kurds.
Finally, in an interview taped for CBS’ 60 Minutes this weekend, the president says Putin’s move into Syria “is out of weakness not strength.” Anything to counter the world’s opinion of him and his leading-from-behind foreign policy.
