Syrian National Coalition Vice President Abdul Majeed Barakat expressed surprise on Saturday, September 21, that the United States did not include the Assad regime in its list of drug-producing countries. This comes despite the recent passage of the Captagon 2 law by the US House of Representatives, which allows for accountability regarding the Assad regime and its networks involved in drug trafficking.
The White House issued a memo identifying key drug-transit or drug-producing countries for fiscal year 2025 but notably excluded the Assad regime. Political activist and former member of the US Coalition for Syria, Mohammed Ghanem, commented that this exclusion is not unprecedented and underscores the Biden administration’s inaction on the Syrian issue.
In an interview with Enab Baladi, Ghanem noted that the US appears to view Captagon produced in Syria as primarily a regional threat, believing it does not pose a significant risk to American interests. He pointed out that many countries included on the list are involved in smuggling drugs that endanger US national security.
The White House memo, addressed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, identified 23 countries as major producers or transit points for drugs, including those supplying chemicals for drug production that significantly impact the US.
Ghanem emphasized that the omission of the Assad regime from this list is largely symbolic and does not signify a shift in US policy toward the regime. He asserted that it will not alter the enforcement of the Caesar Act or the anti-normalization law concerning Assad, which are actively supported by the Syrian lobby in America. He further stated that the US government must address the drug issue, especially given the existing Captagon 1 and Captagon 2 laws designed to hold Assad accountable for his involvement in the drug trade.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
