US puts Sanctions on Syrian Leader and 6 Aides

On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama issued sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as 6 of his aides – Vice President Faruq al-Shara, Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar, Military Intelligence Chief Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmud, and Political Security Directorate director Mohammed Dib Zaitoun. This has put more pressure on the officials in the wake of their violent crackdown on protesters in the nation.

The executive order from Obama, along with other sanctions that the US Treasury imposed on Syrian and Iranian intelligence commanders and services, reflects the increasing frustration in America that Assad’s government isn’t heeding international criticism and pursuing a peaceful resolution to the uprising. Obama had, until now, adopted a more cautious and measured approach to the situation in Syria than he did in Libya, hoping that Assad would respond to the pressure, according to officials. They have obviously decided this wasn’t working. Although the move is symbolic, it exhibits a big step in isolating a government that has sought to anchor itself during its worst crises and then recover itself when the danger subsides. However, this could be harder now with the sanctions.

The sanctions freeze any of the assets that Assad has in financial institutions in the US, as well as those held by his 6 aides, and trade is also prohibited with them. It’s believed that the Syrian leader has many less vulnerable assets than Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi, whose over $30 billion in assets have been frozen as well. An official for terrorism and financial intelligence, David S. Cohen, is cited saying that the Obama administration’s actions send an unequivocal message to Assad, the country’s other leaders and regime insiders that they will be held responsible for the violence and repression that continues in Syria.

The move comes amid developing signs that the government feels encouraged after faltering in the face of an exceptional challenge to the Assad family’s 40 years of rule. Officials say they think they have a major advantage and talk about putting an end to protests, which have spread from the southern plains and Mediterranean coast to Damascus’ outskirts, in just weeks. Human rights activists say that a minimum of 700 people have been killed and 10,000 have been arrested, while the military has stormed at least 4 cities and towns.

Assad declared in an interview published by a privately owned local newspaper on Wednesday that the uprising is coming to an end. He also recognised that his security forces had made mistakes in a suppression so broad that hundreds of people have been detained on soccer fields and in schools. He also said that 4,000 police officers are being put through training for preventing these excesses, but he didn’t give anymore details.