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February 8, 2013

Panetta: Top Officials Backed Plan to Arm Syrian Rebels 
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Top U.S. officials have revealed for the first time the CIA, military
and State Department all backed a plan last year to arm Syrian rebels.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the plan to provide weapons to
vetted fighters was ultimately rejected by the White House. The
disclosure came as Panetta and Martin Dempsey, Chair of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff,appeared before a Senate panel Thursday where they also
testified about the fatal attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in
Benghazi, Libya, last year.

 

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