The United States has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. For the first time in nearly half a century, the Syrian government will no longer be a sanctioned entity. The consequences will be profound.

On Aug. 24, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism had been rescinded after a mandatory 45-day Congressional notification period. The State Department also announced the removal of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, HTS or “Organization for the Liberation of the Levant,” as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Group.