Washington, DC -- “If anyone was still in doubt, today’s comments from Syrian President Bashar Assad should make it clear that it is past time for the Assad regime to go.  The Assad dynasty was brutal under the late Hafez Assad and has only become more murderous under his son Bashar. 

“Perhaps instead of threatening the free world, Assad should halt his attacks on his own people’s desire for freedom.  Assad’s comments prove his ties to Iran, and the threat both countries pose to peace in the region.   When I wrote the Syria Accountability Act in 2003, we focused on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, destabilization of Iraq, and occupation of Lebanon.  The Lebanese occupation is mostly over, but the Syria problem has gone from bad to worse with the crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.  President Obama began imposing the remaining sanctions under the Act in August, and is working closely with our allies in the European Union, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to call for this illegitimate regime to leave at once.

“Threats against the United States and its allies cannot be taken lightly, and Assad’s desperation has become apparent.  It is time for the Assad chapter to close in Syria once and for all.”

Rep. Eliot L. Engel is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was the author and sponsor of the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-175) which imposed sanctions on Syria for its weapons of mass destruction, support for terrorism, destabilization of Iraq, and occupation of Lebanon.  He is now lead Democratic sponsor of the Syria Freedom Support Act (H.R. 2106) and recently led a group of more than 200 members in writing to President Obama in calling for stiffer sanctions on Syria, which the President has since done.

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