US Congress Must Release $350Mln Funding for Syria Train-and-Equip Program
18:20 28.04.2016(updated 18:21 28.04.2016)
The US Congress must release nearly $350 million in blocked funding to support the new version of the Pentagon's train-and-equip program for local fighters against the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria, US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter told the US Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Pentagon cancelled the first iteration of the training program in October after failing to train more than a handful of local fighters that were ultimately ineffective against the terrorist group.
"We've moved away from last year's disappointments with the former approach to the [Section 1209 train-and-equip] program, and we need your support to fully overcome them, focus on the program as it is now and, in particular, release the $349 million in 1209 funding currently blocked by Congress," Carter testified.
US officials have estimated that the cost of that failed training effort was around $500 million.
Earlier this week, President Barack Obama ordered 250 additional special operations forces to move to Syria to engage in a non-combat role. The Pentagon said that the additional forces will be providing support to the regional forces engaged in the fight against Daesh.
© Sputnik
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