Arab League Votes to Suspend Syria Over Brutal Crackdowns
- Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:20am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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The Arab League voted Saturday to suspend Syria from all meetings until it implements plan to end bloodshed caused by government crackdowns on civil protests. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
CAIRO (The Blaze/AP) — The Arab League voted Saturday to suspend Syria in four days and warned it could face sanctions if it does not end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters. The decision was a symbolic blow to a nation that prides itself on being a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.
Qatar Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim said 18 countries agreed to the suspension, which will take effect on Wednesday. Syria, Lebanon and Yemen voted against it, and Iraq abstained. The Arab League also will introduce political and economic sanctions against Syria, he said.
Syria blasted the decision, its representative to the Arab League saying the suspension violates the body’s charter and that the organization was “serving a Western and American agenda,” Reuters reported.
Violence has continued unabated since Syria agreed on Nov. 2 to an Arab-brokered peace deal that called for the Syria to halt violence against protesters, pull tanks and armored vehicles out of cities, release political prisoners and allow journalists and rights groups into the country.
“Syria is a dear country for all of us and it pains us to make this decision,” bin Jassim said. “We hope there will be a brave move from Syria to stop the violence and begin a real dialogue toward real reform.”
In a nod to concerns that the decision could pave the way to international intervention as occurred in Libya, bin Jassim stressed that “no one is talking about a no-fly zone, people are trying to mix up the cases. None of us is talking about this kind of decision.”
Dozens of protesters outside had rallied for the decision, carrying placards reading “Freedom for the Syrian people” and “Arab leaders are garbage” as they chanted for the removal of Syrian President Bashar Assad. They were joined by demonstrators from Yemen, protesting violent government crackdowns in their country.
The decision comes as November is shaping up to be the bloodiest month yet in Syria’s 8-month-old uprising. More than 250 Syrian civilians have been killed in the past 11 days as the regime besieges the rebellious city of Homs.
The U.N. estimates some 3,500 people have been killed in the Syrian crackdown since the uprising began eight months ago, inspired by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia.
The bloodshed has spiked dramatically in recent weeks amid signs that more protesters are taking up arms to protect themselves, changing the face of what has been a largely peaceful movement. Many fear the change plays directly into the hands of the regime by giving the military a pretext to crack down with increasing force.
Although the crackdown has led to broad international isolation, Assad appears to have a firm grip on power.
Assad, and his father who ruled Syria before him, stacked key security and military posts with members of their minority Alawite sect over the past 40 years, ensuring loyalty by melding the fate of the army and the regime. As a result, the army leadership will likely protect the regime at all costs, for fear it will be persecuted if the country’s Sunni majority gains the upper hand. Most of the army defectors so far appear to be lower-level Sunni conscripts.
Syria blames the bloodshed on “armed gangs” and extremists acting out a foreign agenda to destabilize the regime.
The government has largely sealed off the country from foreign journalists and prevented independent reporting, making it difficult to confirm events on the ground.
Key sources of information are amateur videos posted online and details gathered by witnesses and activist groups who then contact the media, often at great personal risk.
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jColes
Posted on November 14, 2011 at 12:46amThe Arab League sanctions are probably real but are not about ‘human rights’ violations…This is the Muslim Brotherhood’s work. Assad isn’t an Islmaist…he’s a secular Muslim, at best; and he’s not his daddy. Compared to the old man, Bishar is a pansy.
Report Post »The radicals want strategically located Syria…so their forces — the most radical of Muslim zealots — will surround Israel…and it’s a sly poke in the eye to the US…The so-called ‘Arab Spring,‘ has turned into the winter of ’liberated peoples‘ ’ discontent…many, many ordinary Arabs are unhappy with radical Islam’s new grip on their lives so the MB must double-down and grab every bit of power and land they can…
Assad will be next victim and Syrian people the latest casualties of the merciless Muslim Brotherhood onslaught against humanity.
dmerwin
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 4:07pmI cannot wait for Rose-Ellen to chime in on this one!
Report Post »SFsuper49er
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 3:48pmNow were getting to World Trade Center numbers just for shooting people in crowds. What number of people does it take before it becomes genocide…..
Report Post »chips1
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 7:32pmMexico has competition. Place your bets.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 3:13pmAnd Assad says “so what”.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:42pmIm sorry but those people are literaly brainwashed into oblivion,billions of phycos trained all thier lives to kill people who do not accept islam . we are in some deep doodoo folks and are in need of rain boots big time……………………
Report Post »wbalzley
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:52pmI suggest you read up on Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. Not everyone drinks the cool-aid, in fact most people don’t. It only takes a few empowered fanatics to control millions of innocent people. Most people just want to be left alone.
Report Post »Bakko Bomma
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 3:42pmzomg not phycos!!!
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:34amLike they have any authority for the individual nation…doubt it…they recognize sovereignty of each nation. The Arab league are the ruling class, 22 of them, (tyrants and dictators) and the religious leaders will not abide with what they can’t enforce on individual arab nations.
It’s like a suggestion and has no possibility of taking root. The law is their religion…you can’t separate it from anything.
Even the constitution of Iraq contains Sharia Law…and I let my bright liberal stars on the hill that I did not like it…
Sounds ok, looks ok but does nothing. JIMHO
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:44amIn Israel their religion is their law… what’s the diff?
Report Post »paulusmaximus
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:37pmFOR SMACKBOWN33 Jews blow up Nuke plants Muslims blow up children!
Report Post »carbonyes
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 12:46pmSmackbone, in Israel their religion is not their law. They happen to have a democracy, which is not in any way tied into their religion. Before you comment know what you are talking about.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:04pmCarbonyes, I was going to reply, but you took the words right out of my mouth. Nicely done.
Report Post »thegodfather
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:03am……”Okay, now that that is settled, let’s move on to issue # 2. “Standardize the stoning process for out of wedlock sex.”
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 11:13amIts more like:
“And next on the agenda, is dealing with the Infidels of the United States…”
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 10:52amKinda like telling a KKK clan member he can’t come to any of the KKK meetings until he quits being racist.
Report Post »TexOkie
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 10:47amSyria no longer in league with the Arab world. I don’t believe it. Like the article said “a symbolic blow”.
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 10:14amArab League of Butchers sanction Syria. Yeah sure.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:47amWouldn’t it be nice is more people read to understand rather than reading to memorize?
Report Post »hottips2011
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:45amTaqiyya, plain and simple.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:43amSo… the punishment of Syria by the Arab League… is WHAT?
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:50amYes, yes that’s it, feel the anger. Say to yourself, “They will not do enough” and tap into that rage. Feel the power of the darkside.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on November 13, 2011 at 9:21am@ELIASIM
Report Post »Oh… the Punishment of a “sharp rebuke” was Too Strong for you?
Eliasim
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:34amOh well of course they do. And did anyone mention that Syria currently has a live and let live relationship with Israel? Now I have this strange notion that if President Bashar Assad gets thrown out that all of a sudden Syria will qualify to be sold bunker-buster bombs.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:37amCall me crazy. But isn’t it time “To put science back in it’s rightful place?”
Report Post »wbalzley
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:06pmWhich version of science? The science that gave us the age of enlightenment and the Founding Fathers? or the Science that gave us the age of eugenics, Hitler, and Stalin?
Report Post »momrules
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:32amSryia seems to be the playbook for what will be happening soon in America. Syria is blaming armed gangs and outsiders for all the bloodshed……….sounds like all the excuses being made for the violence we are seeing with the OWS protesters.
Report Post »wbalzley
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 1:14pmAgreed…and the TEA party, and the Civil Rights Protesters, and anyone else who stands against an established power base. They are labeled as Immoral, Seditious, and Dangerous. They are called RACIST and blamed for all of society’s ills and evil throughout time…
Those in power know how to handle dissent: Personalize, Demonize, Marginalize. Attack mercilessly. Create a polarized “Us vs Them” mentality, divide and conquer…
Report Post »pscully17
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 9:31amAsaad just hasnt killed enough people yet.. they are giving him four more days, and then they will threaten sanctions… there, that will teach him
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on November 12, 2011 at 3:14pmExactly right and NOW we are really going to put sanctions on Iran. It reminds me of the parents who say “I’m going to count to three“ and never get past ”two and a half”.
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