The highly controversial ‘Caesar’s Act’ has finally a response from Syria.
The Act
The Caesar Act, an initiate by the US, imposes sanctions on Syria’s foreign aids. Giving instructions to Assad, it lays down sanctions to devoid Syria of the only helping hand it has. The name Caesar receives inspiration from a person who documented Syrian civilians’ atrocities.
The US says the objective of the Act remains to endorse peace in the region. The civilians believe otherwise. And their thoughts have all the incentives to believe so. When proposed initially, the act limited airstrikes and other bombings in the region. But now, the provisions have quite changed. Now the provisions address aides by the foreign powers for supplies of warfare material. Also, it addresses offices functioning in the territory.
Why Syria Despises This Effort
The effort is no more has peace as the end goal. As many believe, it is a tool of the US to curb influence by foreign powers via Syria. As the act also imposes sanctions foreign aids to manufacturing units of the country, it is set to collapse. Food is more expensive than ever in Syria as the markets are influenced by various rules and sanctions. The production financed by some foreign powers will halt, drawing a situation of famine closer. Simple to say, Syria has nothing running on its own. And to snatch away the only solace it has will prove catastrophic.
Assad’s Response
Assad’s response on initiatives by the US so far has been a clown party. Rather than seeking help or building the country from scratch, he has taken a loyalist approach. Further, he thinks Caesar Act might be the last chance to bring the US to the negotiating table. He isn’t wrong but the cost of this step is something that future generations shall pay. With the economic crash, big and small companies falling apart, the country has little choice but to agree with a superpower.
