U.S. official: 'firm' sanctions on Syria soon to be imposed

Has the US ever imposed sanctions on Syria before?

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/403387.html

<WASHINGTON - The Bush administration will act soon to impose firm sanctions against Syria, which it accuses of sponsoring terrorism, a State Department official said on Wednesday.


"I think you'll see the implementation very shortly, and I think it will be a very firm implementation of the Syrian Accountability Act and the intent behind it," William Burns, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told a committee in the House of Representatives.

Congress sent President George W. Bush legislation in November for the sanctions. Lawmakers have pressured Bush since then to impose penalties on Syria, which Washington accuses of sponsoring terrorism, occupying Lebanon and failing to secure its border with Iraq while allowing anti-American fighters to make their way there.

The legislation barred trade in items that could be used in weapons programs until the administration certifies that Syria is not supporting terrorist groups, has withdrawn personnel from Lebanon, is not developing weapons of mass destruction and has secured its border with Iraq. >

but it has tried several times to overthrow the government across the decades.

The closest attempt was just before Israel had invaded Egpyt and occupied Gaza & Sinai in the 50s--the timing was awful.

The US essentially gave Syria a free pass, even though it has supported terrorism for decades, until after the Iraq war. Sharon shockingly essentially ordered the US to invade Syria in 2003 and in 2004 we have these sanctions imposed. The problem is compounded further by a report authored in 1996 by Perle and Feith for Likud which called for removing Saddam first and then containing and weakning Syria. What conclusion do you expect the average Arab to draw?

Putting sanctions on Syria is the right thing to do but the timing is terrible and will further fuel a perception in the Arab, and to a lesser extent, Muslim world that the US is Israel's poodle.

This is just another excuse to attack another country post-election. Only it won't be nearly as easy. Dumbasses.

n/t

overestimated. You know Israel absolutely hates Syria, which tends to come to the defense of Lebanon. I'm not sure you can call that outright support for terrorism. I'm sure they look at it as protection from Israel.

I'd really like to know what solid proof they have re: Syria, and why they consider Syria to be a bigger danger than Iran or North Korea. Heck, I'm more concerned about Iran than Syria, but believe these countries are really trying to protect themselves b/c they know how many non-conventional weapons Israel and the U.S. have, and how much we want all that oil.