BICOM

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel yesterday gave the clearest indication yet that the United States is considering more direct involvement in the bloody Syrian conflict by helping arm opposition groups seeking to overthrow Syrian President Assad.

Speaking during a Pentagon press conference alongside Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond, Hagel was asked whether the Obama Administration was reconsidering its opposition to arming rebel groups. He answered, “Arming the rebels – that’s an option,” but clarified that it is one of a “range of options” on the table saying “You look at and rethink all options. It doesn’t mean you do or you will” carry them out.

Pressure has increased on the White House over the last week to make a more significant intervention in Syria, following evidence provided by Israeli, UK and French intelligence that Assad’s forces used chemical weapons in an attack near Aleppo in March. President Obama warned last August that the use of chemical weapons by Assad would constitute a “red line” being crossed and would be considered a “game changer.” However, Obama has been cautious to draw conclusions from the reports of Assad’s chemical weapons use, indicating that further evidence is needed. Yesterday, during a visit to Mexico, he said “We want to make sure that we look before we leap and that what we’re doing is actually helpful to the situation, as opposed to making it more deadly or more complex.” It is thought that any immediate steps that the US might take to arm Syrian opposition groups would be limited to non-lethal equipment such as night vision tools.

Speaking alongside Hagel yesterday, Hammond commented that “if the US started supplying arms it would be a sign of leadership and direction.” He also cautioned against taking immediate action in response to chemical weapons use, saying that “we have to have very clear, very high-quality evidence.”