Arming the Syrian rebels - What can be done so that only very few arms fall into the hands of militant Islamists?

I don’t know but why does the US always have to get involved in other people’s conflicts? We’re just on the verge of getting out of one, now we’re getting into another.

Judicious application of integrated RFID and piezoceramic devices.

I think we have opened a can of worms even wider.

@jca – The way I understand it, Obama was pressured by both Republican and Democratic Congressmen.

First it would be helpful to ascertain how much of the Syrian opposition is dominated by Islamists at this point…

@LuckyGuy – How exactly would this prevent Islamist from using the weapons against us?

@bookish1 – As far as I know, the Islamists are a large minority among the rebels. But they got powerful financial sponsors: Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Of course they can’t ensure that. They are only creating greater problems. Can the US just stop making everything worse for everyone, please?

The weapons would be bricked upon receiving a signal from a specific remote or drone delivered radio source. They would effectively have an expiration date and operator’s license.
Obviously this would only apply to devices that are heavily dependent upon electronic controls . But, those are the most effective and fearsome weapons. Think SAM, GTAM, TOW. etc.
Small arms can always be turned in any direction. Ammunition with a limited shelf life would help.

How many times does this have to play out disastrously—how heavily does public opinion have to turn against it—before we realize that it matters not whom we elect or what the voters want? It only matters what our owners want. And every war is GREAT for the Military Industrial Complex.

Nothing can be done. If they only supply them with US made M -16’s they will be useless in a matter of weeks so that might help..

No, that ship sailed this week when the USA decided to start arming one side in a civil war. There is no way to guarantee that arms/cash/power will only be in the hands of people who, deep down inside, are democratically-minded.

Once again, we’ve blown it.

@Mamradpivo : But, but, it worked so well when we armed the Vietnamese Freedom Fighters in the 1950s…!~

Simply write on the gun barrel these words; “Allah is a pig.”

The situation reminds me of the cold war. Russia arming one side. The US arming the other side. Well, let’s wait for the outcome of Obama’s talking with Putin in Northern Ireland.

@mattbrowne I am hoping against hope that Obama’s announcement was meant to establish bargaining leverage with Putin in the two nations pressuring Assad to step down (I think Obama told Putin truthfully that Assad’s days are clearly numbered) and there being a diplomatic solution that involves former elements of the Assad regime with moderate, secularist among the Rebels. I know that’s not all that likely, but if it it his game, it just might work.

Obama gets the vapors whenever he can’t disarm law abiding Americans with another “assault weapons ban” Namely semi automatic weapons. Used in like, 1% of crimes here.

But he’s ok with arming Al-qaeda in Syria with machine guns. Or be willing to possibly take the chance. Why not. Who’s side is this man really on?

That makes a lot of sense, @ETpro. Obama spoke in Berlin, yesterday. He repeated Kennedy’s famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” quote.