If you follow the Syrian conflict online, you might have noticed a series of YouTube videos featuring Syrian rebels shooting off TOW missiles, for seemingly no reason.
Here's why.
As detailed in the Not George Sabra blog, perhaps the clearest evidence of direct US support on the Syrian battlefield is the American-made anti-tank TOW missiles showing up in these videos. Vetted groups have been given the American missiles from a Saudi stockpile and through operation rooms in Jordan and Turkey since at least late last year, according to Reuters. Now, they're uploading videos of the weapons in action to prove to American officials they're capable of holding onto them.
If they're still shooting TOWs, the logic goes, it means they have not fallen into Daesh or al-Qaeda hands. Rebels are also required to bring back spent casings to the operation rooms upon return.
US-led train-and-equip programs have been launched, shushed, changed then launched again in neighboring countries across the region. Some analysts say the YouTube videos are a way for US officials to test the rebels' reliability to be part of these programs. Now with about 30 different TOW-approved groups across Syria, the list of green lights appears to be growing.
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