NEW YORK – In an unexpected development US member of Congress Tulsi Gabbard has admitted that the American government has been involved in supporting terrorists in war-torn Syria, and has made it clear that she aims to stop them.
In a series of tweets, Gabbard has not only exposed the US policy of arming terrorists but has gone further to state what she plans to do about it.
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/808103826939117568
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/808441031389810688
According to a press release issued by her office, Gabbard has introduced the ‘Stop Arming Terrorists Act’ on December 8.
The legislation would prohibit the U.S. government from using American taxpayer dollars to provide funding, weapons, training, and intelligence support to groups like the Levant Front, Fursan al-Ha and other allies of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda and ISIS, or to countries who are providing direct or indirect support to those same groups.
The legislation is cosponsored by political stalwarts including Peter Welch, Barbara Lee, Dana Rohrabacher, Thomas Massie and backed by the Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and the U.S. Peace Council.
Taking a potshot at the US policy, the congresswoman expressed that the state was providing financial support to the same subservient groups that it was trying to defeat.
“Under U.S. law it is illegal for any American to provide money or assistance to al-Qaeda, ISIS or other terrorist groups. If you or I gave money, weapons or support to al-Qaeda or ISIS, we would be thrown in jail. Yet the U.S. government has been violating this law for years, quietly supporting allies and partners of al-Qaeda, ISIL, Jabhat Fateh al Sham and other terrorist groups with money, weapons, and intelligence support, in their fight to overthrow the Syrian government,” she said.
The 35-year-old went on to accuse the CIA of providing weapons and money to terrorist groups all over the world through covert operations with the help of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, amongst others. She referred to recent articles by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal to back up her claims.
“The CIA has also been funnelling weapons and money through Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and others who provide direct and indirect support to groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. This support has allowed al-Qaeda and their fellow terrorist organisations to establish strongholds throughout Syria, including in Aleppo,” she added.
The legislator demanded an end to the hypocrisy of American policy that backs terrorist groups but bars citizens from doing so.
“This madness must end. We must stop arming terrorists. The Government must end this hypocrisy and abide by the same laws that apply to its’ citizens,” she concluded.
Speaking with CNN host Jake Tapper on Thursday evening Gabbard called for the US to end its cycle of intervention abroad, supporting President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” policy.
“We need to stop the destruction that has been caused by our country continuously getting involved in these counterproductive regime change wars that not only end up strengthening our enemy, groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda,” the Hawaiian Representative told CNN.
She argued that such US foreign policies cause “more suffering” to the human population in conflict zones such as in Libya, Syria, and Iraq, than before the US stepped in.
Gabbard also noted that during her meeting with Trump earlier, she urged the president-elect to stop the regime change agenda in Syria and halt sponsorship of Gulf countries that do not support Bashar Assad.
