Does the easing of US sanctions on Syria come with strings attached?

Does the easing of US sanctions on Syria come with strings attached?

During a visit to the Gulf in May, US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement that he would revoke sanctions on Syria. This week, he kept that promise.

He signed an executive order on Monday to waive or review penalties, some of which have been in place for decades. The move comes as a relief for struggling Syrians after almost 14 years of a brutal civil war that has devastated their economy.

For their transitional leader Ahmad Al Shara, it’s a milestone that could give him the legitimacy that he and his Hayat Tahrir Al Sham-led government so desperately seek. But it also brings him new and complicated challenges.

“President Trump wants Syria to succeed – but not at the expense of US interests,” the White House said, while establishing ties with Israel would be a priority. The question is, what pressures could this impose on the new Damascus government?

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, guest host Ban Barkawi looks at US interests in Syria and the fine line Mr Al Shara will have to walk to keep his people and the West happy. She speaks to Jihan Abdalla, The National’s senior correspondent in Washington, and Omar Dahi, director at Security in Context.

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Episoder(487)

Syria's humanitarian crisis and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the UK

Syria's humanitarian crisis and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to the UK

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8 Mar 201823min

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The Rohingya crisis, six months on; and saving animals caught up in the war against ISIL

It has been six months since Myanmar military operations sparked a mass exodus of the country's Rohingya Muslim minority to neighbouring Bangladesh. But although the crisis has now fallen out of th...

1 Mar 201819min

A conversation with the UAE's ambassadors to Germany, India and China

A conversation with the UAE's ambassadors to Germany, India and China

On this special edition of Beyond the Headlines, host Naser Al Wasmi is joined by the Emirati Ambassadors to three very important countries in the UAE’s global diplomatic network: Ali Al Ahmed, UAE Am...

22 Feb 201833min

The war of words between Iran and Israel

The war of words between Iran and Israel

Iran and Israel were on the brink of war. Tensions arose when Israel shot down an Iranian drone on February 10, after it entered the country from Syria. Then one of the Israel’s F-16 fighters was shot...

21 Feb 201822min

Iraq's reconstruction and the challenges ahead

Iraq's reconstruction and the challenges ahead

An international donor conference opened in Kuwait on Monday with hopes of rebuilding Iraq following its devastating war against ISIL. We discuss Iraq's reconstruction efforts in this week's edition o...

14 Feb 201824min

Tackling food scarcity in the Middle East

Tackling food scarcity in the Middle East

All six Arabian Gulf countries import between 80 to 97 per cent of their food. Due to water scarcity and poor soil, it typically costs less to import food than to grow it here. According to the minist...

7 Feb 201821min

In Yemen, a violent week complicates a nuanced war

In Yemen, a violent week complicates a nuanced war

Clashes broke out in Aden over the weekend when the Southern Transitional Council called to its constituents to demonstrate. The Yemen government banned protests on the streets and prompted the semi-a...

31 Jan 201823min

Turkey's military offensive against Kurdish Syria, explained

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Turkey launched this week a military offensive into Afrin, a heavily Kurdish enclave of Syria. Ankara is calling it an 'anti-terror campaign,' targeting the US-backed Kurdish group, the People’s Prote...

24 Jan 201823min

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