Speaking in Washington, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest acknowledged internal concerns that sending weapons could worsen the crisis.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest: “One of the concerns that we have about providing military assistance is it does contain the possibility of actually expanding bloodshed. And that — that’s actually what we are trying to avoid. The whole reason that we are trying to encourage both sides to sit down and hammer out a diplomatic agreement is to end the bloodshed and end the escalating conflict in that — in that — in that country.”