U.S. must be more careful who we arm

Sandra Miner, Las Vegas

Tuesday, June 18, 2013 | 2 a.m.

I’m concerned about arming Syrian rebels.

First, Syria never signed the treaty outlawing the use of chemical weapons. The reason being used by the U.S. is tenuous at best; Syria used chemical weapons once, in a small amount, and it was not a nuclear attack. And, if this reasoning is used to weaponize rebels, then it should make the former U.S. regime liable for prosecution under the International Criminal Courts Treaty, which President Bill Clinton fostered, and the U.S. did not sign. We would be setting a precedent.

Second, look at our record of arming rebels. Of course, it was illegal, but Iran-Contra fostered such noble causes as Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. That worked out well, didn’t it? Of course, bin Laden was against Russia, but teaching him our ways blew up in our faces.