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From The Whiteboard 25 June 2013 Syrian National Coalition For Reference > Syrian National Coalition The Syrian National Coalition is the political authority and umbrella organization of Official Site the Syrian rebels recognized by the majority of the Arab League as the legitimate Syrian authority. Led by George Sabra, a Greek Orthodox Christian, the Coalition > Guide to the Syrian Oppo- was formed after the failure of the Syrian National Council, based in Turkey, to unite sition disparate opposition elements into an effective political bloc. The two merged in November 2012 and have achieved some gains in increased international legitimacy > Syrian National Coalition and in remaining loosely tethered to fighters on the battlefield. Facebook Page The moderate wing of the Syrian rebels, under command of defected former-Syrian > Syrian Opposition to Sit General Salim Idris, is the Free Syrian Army, the largest of the organizations that Out Any Talks Unless Arms pledge allegiance to the Coalition. Idris is widely seen as the chief recipient of US Are Sent, General Says military aid and as the most acceptable military commander to Western powers, who have worked to keep him allied with the Coalition and pressed for increased representation for his fighters. Currently, with fifteen representatives, the Free Syrian Army is the key military link between the Coalition's political activities and the civil war unfolding inside Syria's borders. ISOA Perspective As stated previously, ISOA members are prepared to support any international operation to be implemented in re- sponse to policy decisions of the international community. Our membership can provide base support for UN or multinational troops deploying in the field, infrastructure support including water sanitation and construction, or training services tailored toward rule of law or security sector development. With effective train-the-trainer pro- grams and operational support, ISOA members bring expertise to the field that can support the efforts of the Syrian National Coalition if they transition into the governing body of a peaceful Syria. Visit The Whiteboard at www.stability-operations.org/Whiteboard 2025 M ST NW SUITE 800 | WASHINGTON, DC 20036 | +1 202 367 1153 | WWW.STABILITY-OPERATIONS.ORG .

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The Syrian National Council: a Victorious Opposition?
THE INSTITUTE FOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES IMES CAPSTONE PAPER SERIES THE SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL: A VICTORIOUS OPPOSITION? JARED MARKLAND KRITTIKA LALWANEY MAY 2012 THE INSTITUTE FOR MIDDLE EAST STUDIES THE ELLIOTT SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY COPYRIGHT OF THE AUTHOR(S), 2012 THE SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL: A VICTORIOUS OPPOSITION? Jared Markland & Krittika Lalwaney Introduction The Syrian National Council (SNC) emerged as an opposition movement representing the democratic uprisings in Syria calling for regime change. The Assad regime’s forceful measures against Syrians have delegitimized the government and empowered the revolution. The success of the revolution, in overthrowing the regime hinges on the Syrian opposition’s ability to overcome its deficiencies. This paper analyzes the performance of the SNC by determining SNC success or failure to launch a successful opposition movement against the regime. The SNC’s probability of success in the overthrow of the regime is contingent on its ability to unify internally, obtain financial capacity, establish international recognition, and build internal popular support. Methodology The methods used to examine the prospects for success of the SNC as a viable opposition movement consist of comparative case studies and qualitative field research. We examined four case studies, including Nicaragua, Libya, El Salvador and Guatemala. These cases establish a set of core factors necessary for an opposition movement to succeed. The utilization of these factors allows us to create a comparative assessment of the overall performance of the SNC. Our qualitative fieldwork entailed a total of 32 interviews with current SNC members, Syrian activists, refugees, Free Syrian Army members, academic experts, and government officials.
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