Nadene Goldfoot
Seems like America was happy to see Assad gone and don't care a hoot whohas taken over the "throne." What can happen is that the next replacement can turn out to be worse, and that's what has happened according to my source. He said that Jolani makes Assad look like an angel compared to him; he's cruel. The people in fact are not yet happy.
The United States and its allies recently provided a list of conditions for continued sanctions relief for Syria, which align with a broader framework for stability, but there is no formal, publicly announced "10-point plan" that requires 8 specific points for full removal.
Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the establishment of a new government, most comprehensive U.S. and E.U. sanctions have already been lifted or suspended.
Jolani has reverted to his birth name, Ahmed al-Shara,BALKIS PRESS/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
The remaining U.S. sanctions (under the new Promoting Accountability for Assad and Regional Stabilization Sanctions or PAARSS program) target specific individuals and entities associated with the former Assad regime, human rights abusers, and terrorist groups, not the country as a whole.
The conditions the U.S. has outlined for the permanent lifting of all remaining sanctions and restrictions (such as those under the Caesar Act, which has since been repealed, and removing Syria's State Sponsor of Terrorism designation) include general policy priorities and specific actions:
- 1.Elimination of remaining chemical weapons stores and cooperation with international monitors.
- 2. Cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts, including removing foreign fighters from senior government roles.
- 3. Assistance in locating missing U.S. journalist Austin Tice by appointing a liaison.
- 4. Adherence to human rights standards and accountability for war crimes.
- 5. Commitment to regional peace and stability, including potentially normalizing relations with Israel.
- 6. Support for the safe and voluntary return of displaced Syrians.
The new Syrian government, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa/ Jolani, has taken some initial positive steps that led to the initial lifting of most sanctions, such as releasing political prisoners and cooperating on certain issues. Continued U.S. policy will depend on further progress on these conditions.
The new government in Damascus has taken serious steps to crack down on Syria’s use as a transit hub for Iranian and Hezbollah weapons and money, in sharp contrast to the Assad regime. It has also worked against IS—as far back as 2013, Jolani/Sharaa had a serious rift with the group’s predecessor, the Islamic State of Iraq—and has even cooperated with Washington on a number of targeted operations. Syria has also created a military unit specifically to incorporate the foreign fighters who were part of the forces that overthrew Assad. The State Department, in revoking Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation in July, agreed with Sharaa, the group’s leader, that it had disbanded.
Ayman, a well-dressed middle-aged local, said he was walking his dog, a bichon frise, when he saw Jolani’s brother Maher, Jolani himself, and the four bodyguards drive up on Sunday. They spent half an hour gossiping, before Jolani went up to his apartment. “He was asking about the neighbours,” Aymen said. “Who was still there, who had left.” The three men took selfies, for old time’s sake. I wouldn't feel safe living in that building now.
Syrian Contact
No comments:
Post a Comment