Foreign Affairs

jakeXT

(10,575 posts) Fri Jul 10, 2015, 01:33 AM Jul 2015

U.S. military pays Syrian rebels up to $400 per month: Pentagon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Syrian rebels receiving U.S. military training to battle Islamic State militants are being paid $250 to $400 per month, depending on their skills, performance and leadership position, the Pentagon said on Monday.

It was not immediately clear how many Syrian rebels were currently being paid. Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Defense Department spokesman, said last week that up to 200 Syrian fighters were undergoing training. A further 1,500 have completed the necessary screening.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in May that Syrian fighters participating in the U.S.-led mission would receive "some compensation," but he gave no figures.

Navy Commander Elissa Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said trainees were each receiving a stipend.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0P22BX20150622?irpc=932

5 replies

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U.S. military pays Syrian rebels up to $400 per month: Pentagon (Original Post) jakeXT Jul 2015 OP

What could go wrong? merrily Jul 2015 #1

Charming Sherman A1 Jul 2015 #2

So we are hiring local mercs to fight Assad, basically. bemildred Jul 2015 #3

“we’re speeding up training of ISIL forces, including volunteers from Sunni tribes in Anbar Province jakeXT Jul 2015 #4

"just because the FSA has given a lot of money and arms to ISIS doesn't mean we're indirectly MisterP Jul 2015 #5

merrily

(45,251 posts)

1. What could go wrong?

Reply to jakeXT (Original post)

Fri Jul 10, 2015, 01:56 AM

Jul 2015

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)

2. Charming

Reply to jakeXT (Original post)

Fri Jul 10, 2015, 04:20 AM

Jul 2015

simply charming..

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

3. So we are hiring local mercs to fight Assad, basically.

Reply to jakeXT (Original post)

Fri Jul 10, 2015, 07:28 AM

Jul 2015

That's pathetic.

jakeXT

(10,575 posts)

4. “we’re speeding up training of ISIL forces, including volunteers from Sunni tribes in Anbar Province

Reply to bemildred (Reply #3)

Fri Jul 10, 2015, 10:06 AM

Jul 2015

President Barack Obama’s reference to US training “ISIL forces” has raised eyebrows, no less because of the White House’s odd edit in the transcript of the president’s speech on confronting Islamic State.

After getting briefed on US efforts to fight the self-proclaimed Caliphate occupying large swaths of Syria and Iraq, Obama told reporters Monday at the Pentagon that the US was ramping up the training of local forces to complement airstrikes conducted by the US-led coalition.

What he actually said, however, was “we’re speeding up training of ISIL forces, including volunteers from Sunni tribes in Anbar Province.”

http://rt.com/usa/272470-obama-training-isis-slip/

MisterP

(23,730 posts)

5. "just because the FSA has given a lot of money and arms to ISIS doesn't mean we're indirectly

Reply to jakeXT (Original post)

Fri Jul 10, 2015, 02:17 PM

Jul 2015

funding ISIS, because we said so: also us telling the radicals they're not nearly radical enough has nothing to do with their getting more radical"

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