Bush urges postponement of Congressional bill on Syria sanctions
Syria-USA, Politics, 9/25/2002

The Bush Administration has asked Congress to refrain from imposing sanctions on Syria as called for in the Syria Accountability Act (House Resolution 4483). The act cites Syria's support for terrorism, continued military presence in Lebanon, cooperation with Iraq, and development of weapons of mass destruction as reasons for imposing penalties.

In an opening statement to the House International Relations Committee for the September 18 hearings on the bill, State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield acknowledged that the administration shared the concerns detailed in the legislation. However, he argued that the proposed bill would "complicate or even undermine our efforts" towards bringing about a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement, maintaining high level communications with Syrian officials to avert serious escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border, and obtaining Syrian cooperation with the administration's policies towards Iraq.

The legislation, if implemented, would impose a ban on military and dual-use U.S. exports to Syria, as well as prohibit U.S. businesses from providing financial and investment assistance towards their commercial activities in the country. It could also force President Bush to ban all U.S. exports, reduce diplomatic contacts, and restrain the movements of Syrian diplomats in the United States.

In a September 3 letter to Congressman Robert Wexler (Democrat from Florida), President Bush expressed his opposition to the measure by stating the new sanctions would "limit our options and restrict our ability to deal with a difficult and dangerous regional situation at a particularly critical juncture."

In the September 18 House International Relations Committee hearing on the bill, the subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia heard from the bill's proponents and detractors. Committee member Dana Rohrabacher (Republican from California) described the session as "a very, very thought provoking hearing and a very good debate."

House Majority Leader Richard Armey (Republican from Texas), one of the bill's co-sponsors, argued that Syria should be held accountable for its support of Hizbollah in Lebanon, an organization that he said "until 9/11 had claimed the most American lives in terrorist attacks." Even with Syrian cooperation with the U.S. against al Qaeda, Armey said, "it is a quibble to me to say that Syria supports this terrorist organization but not that one."

"For us to hold sanctions against other nations on the [state supported] terrorist list and turn a blind eye to what is happening in Syria today I think is an oversight that only invites other nations to duplicate their trespasses," said Armey.

In the ensuing discussion, Rohrabacher stated his views on the meaning of terrorism, urging Syrian authorities to take note of why the legislation had come up for debate.

"If Syria wants to continue supporting organizations that attack soldiers, well that's war. ... They're at war with Israel. That's not terrorism," he said. "But I will tell you that when people explode bombs and senior citizens are murdered or children are killed - or women and children are killed, there's no accepting that."

"If the Syrians don't want this legislation to go forward, they can easily stop it tomorrow by having a press conference and announcing that there will no longer be any support or any place in Syria for an organization that does these deeds," said Rohrabacher.

The sovereignty of Lebanon was another issue of concern. The bill's other sponsor, Eliot Engel (Democrat from New York), remarking upon the continued Syrian military presence in that country, said, "it's time to let the Lebanese run Lebanon. It's time for Syria to get out. It is incomprehensible that Syria became president of [the UN] Security Council while occupying another country and I'm sorry to say without even a peep out of the [Bush] Administration."

Edward Gabriel, former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco and current President of the American Task Force for Lebanon, argued that the bill would not advance a Syrian withdrawal. "To the contrary," he said, "I believe an isolated Syria is likely to intensify its relationship with Lebanon."

Gabriel said the Lebanese people would also suffer from penalties directed at Syria by the legislation and added that in his July 2002 visit to the country, "no one we met with supported the Syria Accountability Act, although they all want Syria out of Lebanon."

In his statement, Deputy Assistant Secretary Satterfield praised Syria for its help in the war against al Qaeda, saying President Bush "has taken note" of Syria's cooperation, which "has been substantial and has helped save American lives."

For a business perspective on the proposed legislation, the committee turned to William Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, Inc. and co-chairman of USA*Engage, a coalition of American businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations which oppose unilateral U.S. economic sanctions.

Reinsch strongly opposed the measure, arguing that unilateral economic sanctions such as those enacted against Cuba and Iran "have an unblemished record of failure."

Due to the globalization of international trade, countries targeted by U.S. unilateral sanctions "are very rarely impaired in gaining access to the products or financing they seek. At most, they may pay a small premium or have to be content with less quality," said Reinsch.

Rather, he said, the 400 U.S. firms now doing business with Syria would be the most affected by the sanctions. Their presence was important, he said, because "in a globalized economy, the flag more often follows trade than the reverse."

It is worth noting that with the US Department of State's official reports vindicating Syria of any support for terrorism, it is peculiar as to why some in the US feel the need for such draconian measures and pressure on Syria.

Previous Stories:
  Bush calls for not approving the accountability law against Syria   (9/16/2002)
  Bush opposes imposition of sanctions against Syria   (9/10/2002)
  Al-Qanat: Satterfield to convey US threats to Syria   (8/29/2002)

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