The Syrian American Council applauds Congress for passing strong bipartisan sanctions legislation on Russia and Iran, the two largest backers of the brutal Assad regime, with a veto-proof majority. This legislation would sanction Russian officials and entities for supporting the Assad regime; place terrorism sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which are on the ground in Syria; and subject the lifting of existing sanctions on Russia to Congressional review.

The Syrian American Council sends well wishes to Senator John McCain and his family.

The Senator has always fought for the good of the world and we know he will be a fighter in his personal battle.

He is a true American hero and an honorable leader.

Sincerely,

Steve ‘Safai’ Arkawi

SAC Arizona Chapter, President

The Syrian American Council (SAC), a Syrian American grassroots organization, calls upon President Trump to ensure a transition in Syria that removes dictator Bashar al-Assad from power, after a series of contradictory remarks by Secretary of State Tillerson on the matter. On Wednesday, a statement by Tillerson on Syrian negotiations made no mention of Assad's departure and only vaguely described "a settlement that charts a way forward." But Tillerson Friday affirmed that "We see no long term role for the Assad family or the Assad regime."

The Syrian American Council, a grassroots Syrian-American advocacy organization, today expresses its praise for a new report by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that confirms the use of nerve gas in the Khan Sheikhun Chemical Massacre of April 2017. While the report does not name the culprit, it is our view that dictator Bashar al-Assad’s culpability for this heinous crime is already proven. Both local eyewitnesses and American aircraft radars identified an Assad regime plane dropping a payload at the moment the chemical attack began.

The Syrian American Council commends the U.S. Senate for overwhelmingly passing bipartisan sanctions on Russia and Iran, including for their support of the Assad regime, by a vote of 98-2. With your help through advocacy days and call-in campaigns, the Syrian American Council has been working for months to achieve sanctions against Russia and Iran for their crimes in Syria. Today, the Senate did the right thing.

We would like to thank Congressmen Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA) for establishing the Friends of a Free, Democratic, and Stable Syria Caucus, announced on May 25th. Congressmen Kinzinger and Boyle inspire us as they continue to spread awareness and show support for a free Syria.  

Last Week the Syrian American Council (SAC) and the Turkish Heritage Organization (THO) hosted on the Hill a congressional staffer briefing on US Foreign Policy in Syria: Regional Security and Strategic Challenges. SAC’s Policy and Advocacy Officer, Shlomo Bolts, served on the panel, along with Col. Brian Cook, Director of Theater Strategy at the Department of Strategy, Planning and Operations at the US Army War College, and Michael M. Gunther, THO Advisory Board Member and Professor of Political Science at the Tennessee Technological University. 

The Syrian American Council demands concrete and meaningful action from the Trump Administration after the shocking revelation that the Assad regime built a crematorium outside the notorious Saydnaya Prison. As explained by Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau, this crematorium helps the regime conceal evidence of at least 50 extrajudicial killings a day.

While the Syrian American Council supports all good-faith efforts to achieve peace in Syria, the memorandum of understanding on Syrian “de-escalation areas” signed in Astana, Kazakhstan today is unlikely to achieve peace. More likely, it will increase risks of partition, legitimize the role of Iran’s sectarian militias, and allow the regime side to continue killing civilians.