Two US Legislators Advocate for Gradual Easing of Sanctions in a Post-Assad Syria
Congressmen Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) have advocated for a gradual easing of sanctions as various groups compete for influence in Syria.
A duo of U.S. representatives has urged the Biden administration to initiate a step-by-step reduction of sanctions against Syria following the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad, who fled the nation on December 8.
“As co-authors of the Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act, which aimed to extend and fortify the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, we believe that the collapse of the regime highlights the potential effectiveness of targeted economic sanctions,” wrote Wilson and Boyle.
“The sanctions systematically weakened Assad’s economy, depriving his regime of the resources needed to sustain its military, ultimately leading to its downfall.”
Assad had been the president of Syria since 2000, maintaining control with the support of allies amid an ongoing civil war that erupted in 2011.
Wilson and Boyle indicated that with Assad’s removal, there exists a chance for the United States to begin relaxing sanctions, thereby enabling the Syrian populace to rebuild and facilitating a return to international trade and diplomacy.
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The bipartisan lawmakers proposed a careful, stepwise strategy for lifting sanctions, emphasizing that it would help “ensure that former regime elements cannot access their assets, that designated terrorist groups are barred from the international financial system, and to encourage the transitional government’s adherence to international standards.”
The ongoing civil war, along with the various factions involved, complicates the issue of sanctions.
Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—a Sunni Islamist group that emerged from the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda and is labeled a terrorist organization by the United States—initiated a late November offensive that disrupted Assad loyalist positions and led to his flight from the country.
HTS has since declared a transitional government in Syria and appointed one of its members, Mohammed al-Bashir, as interim prime minister until March 1, 2025.
In a December 8 address celebrating Assad’s downfall, President Joe Biden remarked that his administration is closely observing the behavior of various anti-Assad factions during this transition period.
“We have taken note of recent statements made by the leaders of these rebel groups. While they are expressing the right sentiments currently, we will evaluate not just their rhetoric but their actions as they assume greater responsibilities.”
Wilson and Boyle posited that easing sanctions could enhance U.S. goodwill in Syria and help counter extremist elements within the country.
“The primary objective of sanctions is to foster positive changes in behavior,” a State Department representative remarked in an email to The Epoch Times on December 11.
“We will maintain vigilance over the situation and evaluate HTS’s actions to shape our position moving forward.”
The Epoch Times also contacted the White House and Treasury Department for comments but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
