Because the US has not offered direct military help to the rebels, the opposition has been forced to turn to Islamist groups for help. These groups have traveled from throughout the region to offer resources and men to fight the Assad regime. If the US is unwilling to arm the nationalist Syrian opposition as a counterbalance to the influence of Islamist opposition, America needs to help the rebels in other ways – with utmost urgency.
Anxiety caused by the perceived risk of arming the rebels has caused the US to miss several key opportunities. Over the last few weeks, I have personally received many messages and emails from friends in the Syrian opposition who are terrified by the rising influence of Islamists.
Concerns about the Islamist Jabat al-Nusra group stealing whatever weapons the US provides are not unreasonable, but in the manner of a catch-22, this fear has distracted Washington to a point where America has not taken any meaningful action to protect the people who oppose both the regime and the Islamists. The immediate safety and liberty of expression of the nationalist opposition leadership, including activists and journalists, is being threatened by the rising influence of these Islamist groups.
The US could certainly provide funding to help improve the well-being of secular activists. American funding could be used to increase resources, such as satellite uplinks and communications technology, small-scale training for security teams, food, and suitable shelter.
Alternatively, the US can afford to put pressure on third-party countries to grant visas to members of the nationalist opposition as well as their families. Giving families the opportunity and resources to leave Syria would significantly reduce the capacity of Islamist factions to threaten the families of active members of the secular opposition. And knowing that leaving Syria was an option for them and their families, members of the secular opposition who would otherwise be too intimidated to fight could be mobilized.
Patrick Hilsman is a freelance journalist who has worked in Syria and Lebanon since 2012. He has reported for Syria Deeply, an independent digital media organization focused on the Syrian conflict. He appeared on the BBC from Aleppo, Syria.
