Displaying items by tag: Syrian Crisis

Did the U.S. really lift sanctions off Syria temporarily? stars

(The following article was originally published by CGTN, on the 17th of February 2023)


The U.S. Treasury announced a decision on February 9 claiming to allow an easing of sanctions imposed on Syria for the ensuing six months until August 8, as part of "earthquake relief efforts."
The decision allows for "third parties" to transfer aid to Syria without fear of U.S. sanctions, but should only be intended for aid to earthquake-effected areas. Nonetheless, the sanctions programs applied to Syria for many years, the most severe of which are the Caesar Act (2019) and Captagon Act (2022), provide for "humanitarian exceptions," but are conditional on U.S. approval. 

Humanitarian Appeal stars

It remains unknown how many Syrians are still under the rubble, and they are hundreds, maybe thousands, and maybe more. It is not known who among them is still alive, but there are certainly some waiting to be saved and are still to this moment groaning under the rubble of their homes.

The “Captagon” Act: The Contemporary Version of the “Caesar” Act... The Objective: Perpetuating Chaos and Acting Against Astana!

Before talking about the new sanctions law and its objectives, it is worth recalling that American sponsorship of the drug trade in South America, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world is proven not only by political facts, but also by the confessions of American officials. Perhaps the most prominent of these is the role of the CIA in the drug trade in Colombia, and financing itself and its dirty operations from that trade. Likewise, under the American occupation in particular, Afghanistan went from producing 5-10% of the global opium to producing 90% of it.

Kassioun Editorial 1099: What Do Syrians Want?

Syrians want an immediate and urgent solution; they want an end to the catastrophe and the trail of pains they are treading. It is no longer important for them to even think about why things have gotten to the way they have. All they think about is how to get to salvation.

 

Refugees Return to the Media…While the Sweeping out of Syrians and Syria’s Bleeding Continue and Rise!

The issue of Syria refugees has resurfaced over the last week, and this time through the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and the focus by Lebanese and Syrian media on some of them returning to Syria. As is usual from the extremists in the Syrian sides, the issue was exploited as a tool for media dueling, as well as trying to politicize the issue in a way that perpetuates the current situation, from which extremists from the sides benefit in putting additional obstacles to prevent making progress towards reaching a comprehensive political solution. The necessary conditions to move forward with the political solution are also necessary to stop the Syrian bleeding, one of the manifestations of which is the migration of Syrians out of the country. This means, the Syrian refugees file today cannot be dealt with as a humanitarian, political, economic, social, or security file; rather, it is all of those, in addition to being an existential file linked to the continuance of the country and its unity.

Beyond the Budget Numbers for 2022... The Syrian Economy Has a Stroke.

Like its predecessors, the state's general budget for 2022 reflected the country's deteriorating situation on all fronts. The factors of war and economic sanctions, and, before this and that, the government policies followed for decades, left an economy afflicted with a heart attack and an infrastructure paralyzed in most of its sectors, which was reflected in a significant decline and deterioration in all indicators of Syrian economic performance.

Between The Centralization of Oppression and Conciliation, and The Decentralization of Chaos and People’s Power

Although the discussion of the two terms of centralization and decentralization in the new Syria has taken a back seat a little, and is no longer as hot of a topic as it was years ago (and perhaps this is better so discussions move in more objective and sustainable directions), the topic in its essence is still hot and important. One could even say that the time for serious preparations to discuss it and reach understandings about it is dwindling, given the amount and speed of the ongoing changes.

Kassioun Editorial 1082: For Whom the Bells Toll?

Scholars of World War II history agree that among the most important reasons for the collapse of Nazism at the time, was its opening two major fronts together, the first in 1939 and the second in 1941.