U.S. Secretly Backed Syrian Opposition Groups, Cables Released By WikiLeaks Show

Washington Post:

The State Department has secretly financed Syrian political opposition groups and related projects, including a satellite TV channel that beams anti-government programming into the country, according to previously undisclosed diplomatic cables.

The London-based satellite channel, Barada TV, began broadcasting in April 2009 but has ramped up operations to cover the mass protests in Syria as part of a long-standing campaign to overthrow the country’s autocratic leader, Bashar al-Assad. Human rights groups say scores of people have been killed by Assad’s security forces since the demonstrations began March 18; Syria has blamed the violence on “armed gangs.”

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[Matt Kirby]

08:42 AM on 04/19/2011

Oh my god, the United States is supporting a revolt against Totalitarian Regimes?

Of course we are, our citizens support them and are regularly outraged at the crimes against women we hear about. Just like I'd fully expect Syria and Sudan to support instituting Sharia Law here in the US.

It's one culture supporting another that's trying to evolve. Say all you want about the US Gov. meddling, but reading up on shooting protesters makes me want to send protesters weapons MYSELF.

[Rubiconski]

08:52 PM on 04/18/2011

Arab Spring is a fraud dreamed up by Hillary and Google

[Amryxx]

05:06 PM on 04/18/2011

So... whenever a tinpot dictator claims that the US is actively destabilizing them, they're not actually scapegoating?

[Pod-gers]

02:43 PM on 04/18/2011

The US has been playing the same game since their attempt to incite locals in Albania to revolt against their new "leaders." this covert op ended up will all US "players" dead. The US used a "sloop," Stormy Seas, used incerted agents, trained provocateurs, and crossed their fingers, hoping that the people of Albanioa would rise up and overthrow their pinky commie leaders.

Today the covert ops plan is the same, except we are now after any government that doeas not 'kowow" to DC, especially independent Muslim states.

This covert ops is domed to failure, as planting quislings in foreign states to lead US sunservient states is NOT SUSTAINABLE.

In this case, the leaders of Syria have been spot on, when claiming thet foreign forces are behind the uprisings, and the US loudmouth, Hillary is LYING AGAIN.

Folks, no one in the world believes us anymore, because we are UNBELIVABLE.

Quslings don't last.

[looneydoone]

03:11 PM on 04/18/2011

>>>>> "Hillary is lying again"
she always lies....overtly and/or by omission.
And you're correct, the world community no longer believes US officials, your credibility is shot to hell

[edwcorey]

02:38 PM on 04/18/2011

Amazing how wherever our undercover groups are, they just make things worse. When good things happen overseas, these guys and gals are nowhere around and always surprised. What a waste of money and goodwill these people are.

[steve11407]

02:37 PM on 04/18/2011

Who ever thought it was secret?

[StansDad]

01:48 PM on 04/18/2011

US secretly supporting things that revolt against things that are opposed to the US...

[bohratom]

01:18 PM on 04/18/2011

26 syrians killed in the last 2 days. According to the Obama doctrine its time to step in and defend civilians. Hello Mr President...

[ChasG]

11:08 PM on 04/18/2011

False equivalence.  Is Assad bombing cities with cluster bombs?

[riffenberg]

01:18 PM on 04/18/2011

You tax dollars at work. Imagine the streets full of protestors if obama was a Republican president. The U.S. has backed rebel opposition in Egypt,Libya and now Syria.

[satanlite]

01:08 PM on 04/18/2011

Oh, but they hate us for our "freedoms" the Reblicans claim while all the time they are well aware of our meddling in other countries. But hey, they hate us for our "freedoms".

[steve11407]

02:39 PM on 04/18/2011

The modesty police certainly do.

[calypsolouie]

01:07 PM on 04/18/2011

why no air attacks??

[ChasG]

11:11 PM on 04/18/2011

False equivalence.  Where's the Syrian column of tanks?  The cluster bombs being dropped on Syrian cities by the Syrian government? 

[meoshi]

01:02 PM on 04/18/2011

Why are we spending money that we, as a country, do not have to fund groups to destabilize countries that are not bothering us?????????? Don't we know that God does not like ugly??? Everyone needs to read the book of Ezekiel..........It will give you an overview of what happens when people do wrong and how they have to repent of the wrong.........

[tibetanterrier]

12:51 PM on 04/18/2011

Shocking!! What next.. Propaganda radio in Cuba

[looneydoone]

03:13 PM on 04/18/2011

Yoanni Sanchez
She is either a US propagandist, OR the Cuban government has given her absolute freedom to blog as a dissident.

[LogicalMathMan]

12:23 PM on 04/18/2011

It must be really advantageous to the powers-that-be when the populace believes that the upheavals in the Mid East and Africa (Egypt, Syria, Bahrain, Iran, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya, Algeria) were brought about by social networking sites. Hopefully, someone with a conscience will highlight the roles the CIA played in all these scenarios.

[meoshi]

01:03 PM on 04/18/2011

Fanned and faved...........

[Randyman5]

12:18 PM on 04/18/2011

"Constitutional Democracy " in Iraq is a joke, and of course, a cover for the U.S.'s intentions in gaining dominion over the vast oil reserves there. The people in the middle east haven't the least notion of what it means to live in a Constitutional Republic. Imams and ayatollahs control what is "constitutional"... and what isn't. No one has a single freedom that the clerics do not want them to have --according to their notions of all that is holy. These are still primitive societies where women wear burlap bags from head to toe and cannot leave their homes without being accompanied by a male relative. Very primitive, in my estimation.

[ChasG]

11:14 PM on 04/18/2011

Constitutional democracy in America was not so perfect when it was just starting out either.  Democracy is not a goal, it is a means to change, and change by definition takes time.