The Obama administration is allowing moderate Syrian rebels, which the U.S. spent hundreds of millions training and equipping, to be slowly destroyed, experts warn.
The groups are targeted by Russian air strikes, and new attacks from a Kurdish militia also backed by the U.S.
The attacks have led to criticism that the administration is standing by while its allies are killed. But the debate also highlights the confusing nature of the Syrian conflict, and the difficulties the Obama administration has faced in finding local forces on the ground in Syria.
The administration launched the CIA program to train and equip the rebels with hopes of building a moderate Sunni ground force in Syria that would pressure the regime of Bashar Assad to negotiate a political solution. Officials also believed that force could help enforce the peace under a new Syrian government.
Pentagon began a $500-million to train moderate opposition rebels, but the program struggled to find recruits who would only target ISIS and not the Syrian regime, and was effectively ended after the U.S. spent $384 million to field 145 fighters, which the Pentagon says are still active.
Syria experts and critics of the  administration’s policy blame the situation on the decision to go after ISIS while avoiding a military confrontation with Russia or the Syrian regime at all costs.
The administration also recently came under fire for notifying Russian air forces where U.S. special operators are operating in Syria.
Officials made the move to protect U.S. forces, even as the administration has blasted the air campaign for shoring up Assad and vowed not to cooperate with Russia. They say that protection did not extend to the rebel forces.
“The U.S. has rather consistently undermined the very rebels it claims to be supporting,” said Shadi Hamid, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “Undermined is probably putting it mildly.
“If you wanted to go a little bit further, you would say betrayed, and that’s certainly how the mainstream Syrian rebels view it — as a betrayal from the U.S.,” he added.
Critics call the policy short-sighted and say it’ll make the situation iin Syria worse in the long run.
First, they say it is ruining relations with NATO-ally Turkey.
Critics also say not standing up for the Syrian rebels sends a message to other allies that the U.S. cannot be trusted.
“A number of our allies feel they have been let down, particularly on Syria. And that’s without even talking about how the Europeans are affected by this,” Hamid said.
Experts also warn that there can be no long-term Syrian peace without a moderate opposition, opening the door to ISIS or something far worse.
“As of now, all the administration has is the charisma and the power of persuasion of John Kerry, trying to persuade people like [Vladmir] Putin, the Iran Supreme Leader and Bashar al-Assad to do the right thing,” said Frederic C. Hof, who served as President Obama’s special adviser for the transition in Syria.

Source: The Hill, FEBRUARY 22, 2016