In an article on Wednesday, The New York Times said Washington intends to tighten sanctions against Syria to change power there, but many experts question the effectiveness of this US measure.
According to the article, officials in the administration of US President Donald Trump are determined to impose new restrictions based on the Caesar Act.
This was reportedly included in the American military budget for the fiscal year 2020, and it gives the US administration the right to impose sanctions against institutions and individuals providing direct and indirect assistance to Damascus, as well as the various groups operating in the country.
The article quoted the words of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Joel Rayburn, who stressed that sanctions “will not end” until “the Syrian regime and its allies” agree to a change of power in the country.
As the newspaper notes, many experts have expressed doubts that such an approach would allow the United States to achieve the desired goals, without making active efforts in the diplomatic field.
“The sanctions alone cannot solve the problem,” John Smith, the former Director of the US Treasury Department’s Foreign Assets Control Office, was quoted as saying.
He added, “It is difficult to understand what the US can do, other than putting a group of Syrian regime officials on a list that only provokes indifference on their part.”
This article was 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.
