Washington, July 9 (RHC)-- U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has acknowledged the Barack Obama administration’s program to train and equip "moderate" Syrian rebels currently has just 60 vetted candidates.

Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Carter said the trainees have been subjected to intense screening. He said that three months into the program, "training is underway, and we are working to screen and vet almost 7,000 volunteers to ensure that they are committed to fighting ISIL, pass a counterintelligence screening and meet standards prescribed by U.S. law regarding the law of armed conflict and necessitated by operations."

He said that U.S. forces are currently training about 60 fighters, which he admitted is "much smaller than we had hoped for at this point." The Syrian rebel training program cost U.S. taxpayers $500 million for this year alone.