The US government has made it possible for Americans to donate money to help arm the Syrian rebels whilst upholding its official refusal to arm the forces opposing Bashar Al-Assad.
A Washington-based organisation with close links to the opposition, Syrian Support Group (SSG), has been given a licence that allows them to raise funds on behalf of the rebels. This leaves American donors in a unique situation that allows them to support an army that the US government is still reluctant to officially back.
The treasury license allows the SSG to supply rebels with “financial, communications, logistical and other services otherwise prohibited”
The SSG’s Director of Government Relations, Brian Sayers, described the new stance as ”a game changer in terms of funding and a sign of a gradual policy shift by the US government.”
The SSG is actively lobbying the US government to intervene in Syria by establishing a no-fly zone, though the White House remains adamant that there is no possibility of intervention before 2013.
The recent resignation of Kofi Annan as the UN Arab League envoy on Syria has further diminished hopes of a diplomatic solution in Syria.
