U.S. Rep. Hill urges global action against normalization with Assad
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – A U.S. representative called on “democratic” countries to reject normalization with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and to work on developing a plan for a political settlement in Syria.
“I call on our parliamentary colleagues in democratic countries and all peace-loving countries alike to maintain an economic and military presence, reject normalization of Assad,” said U.S. Rep. French Hill in an op-ed in The Hill.
Hill said that he traveled with Reps. Ben Cline and Scott Fitzgerald in August to Turkey and then proceeded to Syria through the Bab al-Salama border crossing in northern Aleppo.
He called for a united front rejecting Arab states’ efforts to normalize relations with al-Assad, similar to the one that was formed against Putin following his invasion of Ukraine.
“Today, the bulk of the sensible world community rejects Putin in Ukraine. That same diverse coalition of the willing must unite and also reject the Arab League’s fledgling attempt to bring Assad back into the norms of international order and diplomacy.”
After the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on Feb. 6, Arab countries started to normalize relations with al-Assad.
He noted that, unlike what Arab states believe, readmitting al-Assad into the Arab League will likely not curb Iran’s influence or the captagon trade in Syria, stressing that normalization cannot contribute to bringing peace and returning the millions of Syrian refugees abroad.
He called on parliamentary colleagues to “come together with a global plan to bring a political settlement to Syria that facilitates security in the country, peaceful governance across its lands, and an end to transnational criminal drug manufacturing distribution.”
“Only then can critically needed rebuilding assistance for those who have been so severely upended by Russian bombs, Shia militia brigades, and the devastating earthquakes of this past February be effectively carried out,” the representative concluded.