Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Congress has expressed skepticism over a U.S. decision to relay $500 million in military aid to Syrian rebels.

Leading members of the House and Senate are warning President Barack Obama of a blowback in the first U.S. military aid for the Sunni revolt in Syria. They demanded that the Obama administration supply information on
where U.S. funds were headed as well as the effectiveness of the rebels.

So far, Congress has not been briefed on any U.S. strategy for Syria. Several senators pointed out that the remaining Sunni rebels were either inspired or aligned with Al Qaida.

“The fact is that the administration cannot enunciate its goals for how this money would be spent and what our ultimate objectives are,” Sen. Susan Collins, a senior Republican and member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said.

“If this money had been accompanied by a plan two or even three years ago I think it might have made a difference. But now the opposition is so infiltrated with Islamic extremists that I think it is virtually impossible to do the kind of careful vetting that this bill envisions to determine who is friend and who is foe.”

“There needs to be some sense of a better articulated plan and some better safeguards,” Senate Appropriations Committee chairwoman Sen. Barbara Mikulski said.

Ms. Mikulski raised the prospect that the United States could face another Afghanistan — a rebel movement equipped and trained by Washington in the 1980s that eventually produced Al Qaida. In the end, she voted for the $500 million.

Sen. Richard Durbin agreed. Durbin, chairman of the defense subcommittee, cited legislation that required the administration to first provide Congress with a U.S. strategy on Syria. He said the administration would be unable to use the aid until the House and Senate were briefed.

“There are many things going on in Syria we [Congress] have had no voice and no role in,” Durbin said. “This one we will.”

A leading ally of Obama agreed. Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Sen. Dianne Feinstein cited a briefing by the intelligence community that she said was inadequate.

“The intelligence committee did have a hearing on this subject and there was substantial imprecision about what this money would be used for,” Ms. Feinstein said.

  Bipartisan doubts: Obama provided no intelligence briefings on aid to Syrian rebels, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Sen. Ricahrd Durbin, Sen. Susan Collins