US imposes sanctions on Syrian president

2011-05-19 02:53:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON (BNO NEWS) -- The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials for the continuing crackdown on anti-government protesters.

According to the order issued by President Barack Obama, the sanctions freeze any assets al-Assad and other officials have under US jurisdiction, and bans US citizens from doing business with them. The officials on the sanctions list include Vice President Farouk Al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, the ministers of interior and defense, the head of intelligence, and the director of the political security directorate.

This is the first time the United States targets al-Assad for the violent crackdown on protesters. On April 29, it imposed new sanctions against members of the regime, including the brother of President al-Assad and brigade commander in the Syrian Army's 4th Armored Division.

The director of Syria's General Intelligence Directorate and the intelligence service itself were also affected. The sanctions also named the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force for providing support to the Syrian government.

On Monday, the European Council adopted a regulation that provides for an embargo on exports to Syria of arms and equipment that could be used for internal repression, as well as a visa ban and an assets freeze for 13 persons responsible for the violent repression.

According to Human Rights Watch, Syria's security forces have killed some 700 people since demonstrations began on March 16. More than 100 protesters were killed on April 22 and 23 alone, and at least several thousands detained.

Protesters are demanding the ouster of President al-Assad, who took over the post from his father Hafez al-Assad in 2000, and calling for greater freedoms. The country has been ruled by the Baath Party since 1963.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-19

Apparentlythe coup didn’t go as smooth as intended.

Let see ifthis is followed by a no-fly-zone demand, as usual. Same pattern! Same ….!

Tiger

There are clear similarities between the violence used in silencing protests in both Libya and Syria, so yes if there is any consistency there should at least be clear calls for Assad to step down. Syria is actually far more problematic than Libya because of it's proximity to Israel and Assads clear intention to try and hang onto power if necessary by starting a border war with Israel. Furthermore though both Gadaffi and Assad are despots Assad is regarded as an Arab by the other Arab nations, Gadaffi has been nothing but an embarassment to the Arab league, which is saying something considering their own usual standards of behaviour.

Edited May 19, 201115 yr by Steely Dan