The National quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the vetting process involved in US recruitment of Syrian rebels to combat ISIS:
But without fundamental shifts in US policy towards Syrian rebels, it is unclear how Washington will be able to find a significant number of recruits, let alone ramp up the programme.
“When you think about how strict they’ve been about vetting criteria, and you’re starting with such a limited pool, you end up with very few people coming out of the other end successfully,” said Faysal Itani, a Syria expert at the Atlantic Council think tank.
The vetting parameters disallow recruits who have worked with hardline extremist groups, even without being members, and seeks only those moderate rebels committed to a democratic and pluralistic Syria, said Mr Itani.