Saudi Arabia: Obama seeks
to ease backlash over Syria"Saudi officials have grown particularly concerned about what they see as Obama's tepid response to the Syrian civil war and have pressed the US to allow them to play a direct role in sending the rebels the air defence systems known as manpads. While administration officials have previously ruled out that option, a senior official said it was being considered anew, in part because the US has developed deeper relationships with the rebels over the past year."
Despite the conventional view of the US as backing the rebels, they have been a block on the rebels getting the weapons they need to end the war. It is a shame that that the rebels still are in a position where they have to go cap in hand to empires and monarchies for help, but needs must.