The rebuttal also
pointed out that: "the article fails to draw critical distinctions that
SSG and 'its European operations' are actually two separate legal
entities and that the U.S. -based entity, SSG, does not control the
activities of SSG UK. Further, efforts were already underway to close
the UK entity." SSG, Washington DC, August 1
How do you close what you do not control?
We know that the SSG was set up to receive funds that would be transferred to the Military Council under General Idris and the Free Syrian Army. Whistleblower David Falt's release of internal emails tells us that the SSG was focused on raising money from oil deals based on FSA controlled oil regions in Syria. We can assume that if SSG U.S. can shut down SSG UK, there is some sort of control of SSG UK by the U.S. entity. And, we know that SSG is an outgrowth of the Obama political operation with policy rationales and support from the neoconservative ISW. Here is the real shocker.
Syrian Support Group licensed to raise funds by the U.S. Department of the Treasury
In reviewing the highly unique path to approval obtained by SSG, keep in mind that none of this could have happened with out approval from the very top of the Department of State and the White House. President Obama and then Secretary of State Clinton were informed and either or both may have initiated this cozy deal.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Treasury licensed the SSG in July 2012 for the specific purpose of raising funds for the FSA. The Journal was unable to determine if any other organizations were licensed under the same program.
The SSG's web site has a FAQ section that references the license - FAQ question 2:
"The License gives SSG the ability to legally raise funds and provide certain logistical, communications and other services to the FSA. U.S. citizens are generally prohibited under U.S. sanctions on Syria from providing financial or material support to individuals or organizations within Syria absent a license from OFAC."
A PDF of the license can be found on the SSG web site or Google web cache user content of that is not available.
How did SSG get a special fundraising license for Syrian rebels from the U.S. Department of the Treasury?
The path to licensing begins with high level endorsements, unless we are to believe that then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama were in the dark on this unique funding arrangement.
The licensing process through the U.S. government starts with the Department of State Office of Terrorism Finance and Economic Sanctions Policy. The last bullet point on this web page specifies the part of the program that results in a license to raise funds by SSG. The office:
"Provides foreign policy guidance on specific commercial business, export, import, and general licensing issues to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security."
That leads us to licensing under the office of terrorism finance. That web page reveals the following:
"The Office of Terrorism Finance and Economic Sanctions Policy (TFS), as part of the Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities (ESC) deputate, is responsible for coordinating Department of State responses to requests for foreign policy guidance regarding a range of export licensing applications submitted by businesses or individuals to the Departments of Commerce and Treasury."
Bullet point 2 on that page sends us to the division of the Department of the Treasury that actually issued SSG the license.
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