According to '' The Economist '' , as of late September 2013 , " In the month since America backed away from missile strikes to punish Syria ’s regime for using chemical weapons , the Syrian Opposition Coalition has become increasingly irrelevant . " In October 2013 , the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army , led by Salim Idris , met with Ahmad Jarba , then the president of the SNC . The SMC recognized the National Coalition as the " civil authority " of the Syrian opposition
using chemical weapons
Ghouta chemical attack
National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces