PRESS RELEASE
Obama NSC Meeting To Plot Next Syria Move
Oct. 14, 2016 (EIRNS)—Washington sources have confirmed news reports that President Obama convened a meeting of the National Security Council to hear policy options for Syria, in light of the Syrian-Russian military operations to wipe out the last rebel stronghold in Aleppo. Broadly, four options have been prepared: A no-fly zone, a safe zone, a bombing campaign to wipe out the Syrian Air Force, and an expanded arming of the “vetted” Syrian rebel groups. According to one source, there is heavy opposition to the proposal to bomb the Syrian Air Force, because it would almost certainly escalate into a direct conflict with Russia. Among the options of arming the Syrian rebels, there is a range of possibilities, from highly restrictive arming, focused on the Kurdish fighters in the Syrian Democratic Force (YPG for the most part), to a much broader arming of rebel forces integrated into some of the hardcore Salafist groups.
A second source, who in the past participated in the process of developing and presenting such military options, anticipates that Obama will make a specific decision, based on the three or four options presented to him, and he will make a formal decision, and later issue an execute order.
One source emphasized that the situation on the ground has gotten far more dangerous, citing the movement of Turkish military units into areas very close to where Syrian Army units are operating, as well as the intensity of Russian and Syrian military operations in and around Aleppo. The “threat of a direct conflict with Russia” has increased, the source admitted.
