Statement

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today continued warning colleagues of the threat posed by increasing U.S. support for rebel groups in Syria.

In a letter to fellow Members of Congress Kucinich wrote: "A recent article further demonstrates the abundance of evidence that suspected Al-Qaeda affiliated groups are playing a key role in Syria, including Jabhat al Nusra. According to McClatchy, Jabhat al Nusra and "similar groups do the heaviest frontline fighting' and have "proved to be critical to the rebels' military advance.' This is the same group that has been behind the suicide bombings and instability in Iraq, and they have now found space to operate in Syria.

"The role of Al-Qaeda linked groups such as Jabhat Al Nusra in the Syrian uprising demonstrates the dangers that could arise if the United States or other countries attempt to intervene militarily. The New York Times recently reported that U.S. supported arms shipment from Qatar to Libyan rebels that ended up in the hands of Islamist militants. We have spent billions of dollars fighting these same groups elsewhere around the world. Why are we empowering them in Syria?" asked Kucinich.