White House Condemns Syrian Repression
October 31st, 2008 by Jason
Yesterday the White House issued a press statement condemning Syria’s sentencing of 12 democracy activists to two and a half years in prison. The statement calls for the immediate release of the 12 Damascus Declaration members, and concludes, “the Syrian regime cannot expect to be treated as a respected member of the international community when it engages in such systematic repression of its own citizens.”
Joshua Landis at Syria Comment argues that the U.S. raid in Syria has undermined the very cause the White House now purports to champion: “The US attack allows the Syrian government to cast its persecution of the opposition as necessary in the face of foreign aggression and national crisis.” He notes such contradiction “punctuates the failure of the Freedom Agenda.”
Posted in Democracy Promotion, Human Rights, Syria, US foreign policy |
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