Times Argus: Welch votes against arming Syrian rebels
U.S. Rep. Peter Welch has voted against a proposal to give President Barack Obama the authority for the U.S. military to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels.
The Republican-controlled House approved the measure by a bipartisan vote of 273-156 Wednesday.
Welch, a Democrat, says he does not think the plan has any reasonable prospect of success.
He says it’s extremely difficult to find confidence that the country will be able to find rebels who will shift their loyalty to the U.S. He says he doesn’t think rebels of limited experience will make a difference in that battle space and the country does not have reliable allies.
Welch says he supports using counterterrorism activities with reliable allies to play a role in defeating the Islamic State militants.