Obama lifts restrictions on arms supply to Syria groups

President Barack Obama has ordered for a waiver for restrictions on military aid to foreign forces and groups in Syria that are helping U.S. operations in that country, the White House said.

“I hereby determine that the transaction, encompassing the provision of defense articles and services to foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating ongoing U.S. military operations to counter terrorism in Syria, is essential to the national security interests of the United States,” according to a letter Obama sent to the Defense and State departments Thursday.

The order waives the prohibitions under parts of the Armed Forces and Arms Export Control acts and assigns the Secretary of State to report to the Congress 15 days before any such authorization.

Obama announced a similar waiver of the Arms Export Control Act in September 2013, following a chemical attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regime in August of that year in Ghouta.

The order Thursday was issued on the same day as a $619 billion defense policy bill passed the Senate. The bill paves the way for the supply of Man Portable Air Defense (MANPAD) systems to vetted Syrian rebel groups.

The Senate draft of the bill specifically prohibited the delivery of the ant-aircraft missiles to Syrian opposition groups but the conference committee that finalized the bill, waived the restriction and tied the supply of those systems to the determination of the heads of the Defense and State departments.

The bill passed both chambers of Congress by an overwhelming majority and was sent to the White House to be signed into law.

Turkey is concerned about the missiles being delivered to the PKK terror group or its affiliates in Syria, such as the PYD and its military wing, the YPG.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian Rankin Galloway denied those specific groups would receive missiles. “We have not given any arms to PYD and YPG and there is not any change in our policy,” he told Anadolu Agency.

A State Department official said the Obama administration's position on MANPADs and their use in Syria has not changed.

“As we have long said, we would have deep concern about those types of weaponry getting into Syria,” the official told Anadolu Agency.

With regards to the National Defense Authorization Act passed by the Senate on Thursday, the official who is not authorized to speak to the media about the topic said the State Department would not comment on any legislation that is not yet signed into law by the president.