Administration more open to military aid for Syrian rebels
The Obama administration is now opening the door slightly to the idea of international military assistance for rebels in Syria.
Officials say new tactics may have to be explored if Syria's Bashar Assad keeps defying pressure to stop a brutal crackdown on dissent.
The White House and the State Department are both saying they still hope for a political solution. But officials are dropping what had been their strident opposition to arming anti-regime forces.
It's still unclear what role, if any, the U.S. might play in providing that aid.
The change comes amid the shelling by Syrian military forces of the rebellious city of Homs, where activists say at least 30 people were killed today.
Some officials say discussions are now under way about adding a military component to a package of humanitarian and political aid for the opposition. The assistance is supposed to be discussed at a major international conference on Syria this week in Tunisia.
AP
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