WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States should provide Syrian opposition groups with surface to air missiles if they are endangered from Russian or Syrian airstrikes, former US ambassador to Russia Thomas Pickering said at a Center for Strategic International Studies forum on Monday.
"My own view is that the Afghan solution of the 1980s to deal with Russian air-power — and that was essentially surface to air missiles — may well have to be the tougher response," Pickering said of possible US provisions to Syrian government opposition groups.
Despite recent incidents of US weaponry being transferred from Syrian opposition forces into the hands of the Islamic State jihadist group, Pickering argued he is confident the strategy would work.
"There are technical arrangements that can prevent the weapons from being used if they fall into the wrong hands," Pickering said addressing the possibility the weapons could be used against commercial airliners, for example.
The United States has acknowledged providing anti-tank weapons to Syrian opposition groups.
Earlier in the day, US President Barack Obama restated his opposition to creating a no-fly zone in Syria, which would fundamentally be aimed at deterring Russian and Syrian aircraft.
