Former Syrian Vice President Urges U.S. to Arm Rebels

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam

Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam urged the United States to arm the country’s opposition in its war against President al-Assad’s government. Khaddam claimed “there’s no doubt” the Syrian government possesses chemical weapons, reports Al Arabiya.

This comes in light of Secretary Chuck Hagel‘s recent statements, which said, “The Obama administration is rethinking its opposition to arming Syrian rebels but has not yet made a final decision.” With surging proof of the use of chemical weapons by President al-Assad’s forces in Syria, pressure is mounting for U.S intervention.

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Ex-VP Khaddam was one of the few Sunni Muslims to make it in the Alawite-dominated Syrian leadership. A loyalist of Hafez Assad – Khaddam held an important position within the Syrian government. However, in 2005, the ex-VP resigned from his position and fled the country to France in protest of policies put forth by Hafez’s son, President Bashar Assad.

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