Cautious on Syria, Obama moves to help rebels

In his first year in office, US President Barack Obama sent a letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seeking a new start to a long-strained relationship.
Now, nearing the end of his first term, with a presidential election looming in November, Obama is moving cautiously toward greater support for Syrian rebels, as international diplomatic efforts that had been Obama's first preference falter.
Reuters has learned that the White House has crafted a presidential directive, called a "finding," that would authorize greater covert assistance for the rebels, while still stopping short of arming them.
It is not clear whether Obama has signed the document, and US officials declined to comment on the finding, which is a highly classified authorization for covert activity.
But in recent days, the Obama administration has signalled publicly it plans more help for the rebels.
"I have to say that we are also increasing our efforts to assist the opposition," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday.
The administration is seeking ways to help Assad's opponents by increasing supplies of communications equipment and sharing intelligence about Assad's troop movements. The United States has already sent encrypted radios.
The administration is also trying to help the rebels become better organized, planning for when Assad falls, and keenly monitoring Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles to ensure they are secure.
Hillary hinted this week that if the rebels could control a swathe of Syrian territory from which to operate, more US and allied backing would follow.
The decision to lend greater logistical and political backing for the rebels is the latest step in Obama's odyssey over the Syria conflict, where the president chose early on not to intervene with US military force.
Critics charge that Obama has moved too cautiously as Assad's well-armed forces have massacred civilians, a bloodbath that dissidents say has killed more than 18,000 since the uprising first flared in the city of Deraa in March 2011. Another potential massacre now looms in the city of Aleppo.
Obama made his boldest known move in the Syria crisis cautiously, underscoring his preference for diplomacy and coalition-building.
Nearly a year ago, he called on Assad to step aside. But Obama first sought to make sure key allies were with him.