Syria Opposition Rejects US Aid

While some principled Cuban "dissidents" also reject US "aid," most Cubans (and now Venezuelans) see no problem with being called "independent" and receiving funding from the US National Endowment for Democracy [sic]. It is because these peoples and groups (that accept US resources) are specifically doing it for attention - to test the limits and patience of governments who's laws (like nearly every country) forbit such foriegn political meddling. When, oops, they get arrested then the real payoff has begun as the world's media rallies around their cause. But I wonder what the US would do if China was financing anti-Republican activities here?

From the Irish Times
SYRIA: Syria's liberal opposition has said it will not accept a US offer to fund democratic groups in the country, saying its credibility would be damaged if it did.

A group of a dozen parties, known as the Damascus Declaration, said yesterday they had enough resources of their own to press ahead with a campaign to end the 40-year monopoly on power of the Baath party.

"The Damascus Declaration refuses foreign funding, including the $5 million from the US State Department for the Syrian opposition," a statement by the group said. A US State Department official said the money it promised two weeks ago was for "democratic reformers" not opposition or political groups.

Damascus Declaration founding member Hassan Abdel Atheem said: "Our project is nationalist, independent democratic change in Syria, not through occupation or economic pressure as we see the United States doing."