Syria, saying that President Bashar al-Assad does not deserve normalization
after his country’s brutal civil war.
“We do not believe that Syria merits readmission to the Arab League at this
time,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.
“We continue to believe that we will not normalize our relations with the
Assad regime and we don’t support our allies and partners doing so either,”
he said.
Key members of Congress across party lines took a much harsher tone and
urged the United States to use the power of sanctions to prevent
normalization with Assad.
“Readmitting Assad to the Arab League is a grave strategic mistake that
will embolden Assad, Russia and Iran to continue butchering civilians and
destabilizing the Middle East,” said a joint statement by Mike McCaul, the
Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the top
Democrat on the panel, Gregory Meeks.