Hours before the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the United States Congress took a significant step towards extending sanctions against the Syrian government. Despite the presidential waivers that have been in place, Syria continues to struggle under the weight of these sanctions. The country’s economy, already devastated by years of civil war, has been further crippled by the restrictions imposed by the US.
The decision to extend these sanctions has been met with mixed reactions. While some argue that it is necessary to keep the pressure on Assad’s regime, others believe that it is time to lift the sanctions and allow Syria to start rebuilding. The reality, however, is that until these sanctions are lifted, Syria will not be able to fully open up to the international community.
The current situation in Syria is dire. The country has been ravaged by a brutal civil war that has claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more. The Syrian people have been living in a state of constant fear and uncertainty, with their basic human rights being violated on a daily basis. In the midst of this chaos, the US has imposed sanctions that have only added to the suffering of the Syrian people.
The sanctions, which were first imposed in 2011, have had a devastating impact on the Syrian economy. The country’s GDP has plummeted, and the value of the Syrian pound has dropped significantly. This has led to widespread poverty and unemployment, making it difficult for the Syrian people to access basic necessities such as food, medicine, and fuel. The sanctions have also hindered the country’s ability to import essential goods and have severely limited its access to the global market.
The argument for extending the sanctions is that they are necessary to put pressure on the Assad regime and force them to make political concessions. However, this approach has not yielded any significant results. Instead, it has only worsened the humanitarian crisis in Syria and made it nearly impossible for the country to start the process of rebuilding.
The Syrian people are the ones who are bearing the brunt of these sanctions. They are the ones who are struggling to survive in a war-torn country, with limited access to basic necessities. By keeping the sanctions in force, the US is essentially punishing the Syrian people for a conflict that they have no control over.
Moreover, the extension of these sanctions sends a message to the Syrian people that they are not welcome in the international community. It reinforces the idea that the US is not interested in helping the Syrian people rebuild their country and move towards a peaceful future. This is a dangerous message to send, as it only serves to further alienate the Syrian people and push them towards extremism.
It is time for the US to re-evaluate its approach towards Syria. The presidential waivers that have been in place have not been enough to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. It is clear that the only way for Syria to start the process of rebuilding is by lifting the sanctions and allowing the country to fully open up to the international community.
There are concerns that lifting the sanctions will only benefit the Assad regime. However, this can be addressed by implementing targeted sanctions that specifically target individuals and entities that are responsible for human rights violations and other atrocities in Syria. This way, the Syrian people will not be punished for the actions of their government, and the US can still maintain pressure on the Assad regime.
Keeping the sanctions in force will only serve to “pull the rug out from under Syria.” It will continue to hinder the country’s ability to rebuild and move towards a peaceful future. It is time for the US to show its support for the Syrian people by lifting the sanctions and allowing them to start the process of rebuilding their country. The world is watching, and it is time for the US to take a stand and support the Syrian people in their time of need.
