Obama Requests $500 Million to Aid Syrian Rebels

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered the Pentagon to develop more detailed plans to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels, should Congress approve the requested funding.

In a report sent to lawmakers at the Capitol on Thursday, the White House requested $500 million in aid to "help defend the Syrian people, stabilize areas under opposition control and facilitate the provision of essential services, counter terrorist threats and promote conditions for a negotiated settlement,” RT reported.

The Associated Press reported that the multimillion dollar request makes up just a fraction of a larger, $65.8 billion overseas operations request sent to Congress that, if approved, would fund a number of Pentagon and State Department programs, as well as $1 billion in assistance to nations adjacent to Syria.

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin called the request a step in the wrong direction, adding that the White House is only trying to add more fuel to the fire instead of seeking a political solution when it comes to the Syrian conflict.

Churkin added that the money could be spent on something more useful. The comments were made during a UN press conference.

This latest request by the administration for aid comes merely weeks after the president outlined his foreign policy objectives during a speech last month at the West Point Military Academy graduation ceremony.

At the time, Obama noted that he would “work with Congress to ramp up support for those in the Syrian opposition who offer the best alternative to terrorists and brutal dictators.” Now only weeks later, he appears to have taken the first steps to securing such funding.

Last month, the Pentagon deployed more than 6,000 Marines to Jordan to conduct drills alongside military officials there.