Gabbard was one of 50 Democrats who signed a letter authored by California [[communist]] [[Barbara Lee]] calling on [[President Obama]] not to escalate the [[Syrian war]]<ref> chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/http://lee.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Lee%20Letter%20to%20President%20Obama_Syria_Update.pdf</ref> after Obama provided covert assistance to the [[Islamic State]].<ref>*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170216061621/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/obama-secret-syria-order_n_1730712.html?tw_p=twt Obama Secret Syria Order Authorizes Support For Rebels], By Mark Hosenball, ''[[Reuters]]'', 08/01/2012; ''Reuters'' reported {{Quotebox|<small>under provisions of the presidential [[finding]], the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.<br>Last week, Reuters reported that, along with [[Saudi Arabia]] and Qatar, Turkey had '''established a secret base near the [[Syria]]n border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad’s opponents. | Gabbard was one of 50 Democrats who signed a letter authored by California [[communist]] [[Barbara Lee]] calling on [[President Obama]] not to escalate the [[Syrian war]]<ref> chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/http://lee.house.gov/imo/media/doc/Lee%20Letter%20to%20President%20Obama_Syria_Update.pdf</ref> after Obama provided covert assistance to the [[Islamic State]].<ref>*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170216061621/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/obama-secret-syria-order_n_1730712.html?tw_p=twt Obama Secret Syria Order Authorizes Support For Rebels], By Mark Hosenball, ''[[Reuters]]'', 08/01/2012; ''Reuters'' reported {{Quotebox|<small>under provisions of the presidential [[finding]], the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.<br>Last week, Reuters reported that, along with [[Saudi Arabia]] and Qatar, Turkey had '''established a secret base near the [[Syria]]n border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad’s opponents. |