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May 22, 2013

Senators Vote to Arm Syrian Rebels 
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The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has advanced a bipartisan measure
to arm rebels battling the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The vote marks the first time U.S. lawmakers have formally backed the
direct arming of the Syrian opposition. Fifteen Senators voted in favor
of the measure while three voted against — Democratic Senators Tom
Udall of New Mexico and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and Republican Sen.
Rand Paul of Kentucky. Paul criticized the measure by saying: "You will
be funding the allies of al-Qaeda. It’s an irony you cannot overcome."