Rep. West: US should be cautious before arming Syrian rebels

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that the U.S. should be cautious about arming the opposition against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because of uncertainty over who would replace him. 

“First and foremost you have to ask yourself who is going to fill that void,” West told The Hill.

“We didn’t support the Shah of Iran and we got the Ayatollahs,” he said. “We don’t know who’s taking over in Libya. We told [former Egyptian President] Hosni Mubarak to step down, and we got the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) have said that the U.S. should consider arming the Syrian opposition to help oust the Assad regime, which has killed thousands during the uprising, according to United Nations estimates.

Carney said Tuesday that President Obama is not considering arming the Assad's opponents yet, and that the U.S. is looking at what steps it can take in concert with allies to further pressure the Syrian strongman.

Obama administration officials have blasted Russia and China after they vetoed a UN Security Council resolution this weekend that would have laid the groundwork for Assad to relinquish power.

White House press secretary Jay Carney has said that Russia and China are making a “losing bet” on Assad and that “there will be a transition” in Syria.

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