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.

Editor’s Note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

Episoder(493)

Peace efforts, economic leverage and spoilers: prospects for UN solutions in Libya, Yemen and Syria

Peace efforts, economic leverage and spoilers: prospects for UN solutions in Libya, Yemen and Syria

Another session of the United Nations General Assembly has come and gone. Fiery speeches, discussions of nuclear war and celebrity appearances made the headlines. But beyond the headlines, there were ...

27 Sep 201731min

President Trump's address to the world: The big three takeaways from his speech at the UN

President Trump's address to the world: The big three takeaways from his speech at the UN

President Trump has addressed world leaders at the United Nations headquarters in New York City for the first time since taking office, and he didn’t mince words. He took direct aim at the regimes in ...

20 Sep 201728min

United Nations preview: How much does the General Assembly matter?

United Nations preview: How much does the General Assembly matter?

The United Nations general assembly kicks off in earnest next week. We analyse what might happen in some of the highlights expected from the meeting, including American President Donald Trump’s first ...

13 Sep 201734min

"Begging for war": North Korea, Lebanon and Charlie Hebdo

"Begging for war": North Korea, Lebanon and Charlie Hebdo

Despite two potential wars on the horizon, people are still finding it in them to get angry at cartoons. This week, nuclear war might break out between the US and North Korea in an unpredictable game ...

6 Sep 201731min

Hajj: The spiritual side the media rarely shows

Hajj: The spiritual side the media rarely shows

This week, more than 2 million people will go to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, Islam’s holiest event on the calendar. What draws so many to go through what is not an easy journey, one that is...

30 Aug 201725min

Understanding the war in Yemen; ISIL's last stronghold; Pioneering pilot

Understanding the war in Yemen; ISIL's last stronghold; Pioneering pilot

This week, Yemen might be approaching the first step towards a peace agreement in the three-year war. We use poetry to understand what that means. Oxford University academic Elisabeth Kendall gives us...

23 Aug 201728min

Why do white supremacists support Bashar al-Assad? Plus, An Emirati girl's space dream comes true, and Pakistan turns 70.

Why do white supremacists support Bashar al-Assad? Plus, An Emirati girl's space dream comes true, and Pakistan turns 70.

This week, half a million kilograms of rocket fuel launch an Emirati high school student’s experiment into space, as part of the Genes in Space competition. The show features a clip from Alia Al Manso...

16 Aug 201727min

What does it mean to be young and Arab?

What does it mean to be young and Arab?

For International Youth Day, Editor in chief Mina Al Oraibi is joined by a few of The National's resident youngsters -- Mina Al Droubi, Juman Jarallah and Naser Alwasmi -- to discuss what it means to ...

10 Aug 201724min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
stopp-verden
popradet
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-gukild-johaug
det-store-bildet
nokon-ma-ga
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
hanna-de-heldige
fotballpodden-2
rss-ness
aftenbla-bla
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk