Syrian Regime Opponents in Washington Await Disclosure of Assad Family’s Wealth

 The US Capitol is seen at dusk in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew/AFP)
The US Capitol is seen at dusk in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew/AFP)
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Syrian Regime Opponents in Washington Await Disclosure of Assad Family’s Wealth

 The US Capitol is seen at dusk in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew/AFP)
The US Capitol is seen at dusk in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew/AFP)

US political circles are awaiting the implementation by US President Joe Biden’s administration of a law on disclosing the sources of the wealth of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his family, and his inner circle.

The bill, which was approved by Congress at the end of 2021, is considered by Syrian regime opponents in Washington a “legal victory for the revolution and the interests of the people.”

Claudia Tenny, a Republican Representative from New York who is active in Syrian issues, was the godmother of this law, which she initially presented as a draft before the House of Representatives.

The law was attached to the budget of the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 2022, and was endorsed by an “overwhelming majority”, in the US House and the Senate.

The bill passed by Congress requires the disclosure of the sources of the wealth of President al-Assad, his family, as well as his inner circle, and requests the US federal agencies to submit a relevant detailed report to the House of Representatives.

According to the law, the period for implementing such request is 90 days from the date of its issuance.

Thus, Syrian regime opponents considered that the US administration “has now become legally bound to publish this report next week.” They described the development as an “American legislative victory against the Assad regime, and in the interest of the Syrian revolution and the popular opposition, which has long pushed the US legislative and executive institutions to adopt more severe measures against the Syrian regime.”

The law requires the US administration to work on an interagency strategy to determine the priorities of US policy in Syria.

The approved amendment No. 6507 stipulated the disclosure of “income from corrupt or illegal activities practiced by the Syrian regime.”

The legal amendment stressed interagency coordination to implement US sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and to monitor endemic corruption in order to ensure that funds are not directed to terrorist groups and malign activities.

Moreover, the legal amendment set out the elements to be included in the report and the US diplomatic strategy, including a description of the desired diplomatic goals to advance US national interests in Syria, and the desired objectives, as well as a presentation of intended US diplomacy there.

Over the past decade, the US political arena has witnessed a state of “tug-of-war” between the legislative and executive institutions, which started during the tenure of former President Barack Obama and ended with the overwhelming approval of Congress on the Caesar Act, which charted US policy in dealing with the Syrian file.

Legislators in Congress are strongly opposed to Biden’s administration leniency towards the Syrian regime, calling for not easing or bypassing the Caesar Act under the pretext of humanitarian aid.

Bassam Barabandi, a political researcher on Syrian affairs, and a former diplomat who defected from the Syrian embassy in Washington, said that the Syrians in the United States were “waiting to see whether the US government respects and implements the law that requires it to disclose al-Assad’s wealth next week.”

He emphasized in this regard that law enforcement was among the most important features of the United States, and a leading foundation, “which Washington demands all countries respect and implement.”

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Barabandi expressed his fear that the law would not be implemented for political reasons pertaining to Iran.

He added that if the Biden administration disregarded the law, some Arab countries would distance themselves from the US. He explained that Washington would not be applying the simplest demands pertaining to Syria, perhaps for regional reasons, despite spending large sums to help civil societies that demand respect for local laws without any discrimination.



Lebanon Weighs US Deadline, Seeks Guarantees for Disarmament

President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
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Lebanon Weighs US Deadline, Seeks Guarantees for Disarmament

President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)
President Joseph Aoun meets with US envoy Tom Barrack (Presidency handout)

Lebanese officials have been racing to formulate a response to a letter delivered by US envoy Tom Barrack during his visit to Beirut last week, in which Washington pressed Lebanon to take concrete steps towards implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, including the disarmament of Hezbollah.

According to information obtained by Asharq al-Awsat, the Lebanese presidential committee assigned to handle the matter held a meeting at the presidential palace on Tuesday to review the American letter.

The aim, sources said, was to reach a unified Lebanese position that upholds national interests and affirms the state’s exclusive right to bear arms.

A senior Lebanese official familiar with the committee’s work told the newspaper that President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had all received a copy of the US reply through an American embassy official.

The urgency of the matter prompted an emergency meeting of the three-way presidential committee to coordinate a unified national response ahead of Barrack’s expected return to Beirut later this month.

“The US message was polite in tone but firm in substance,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“The Americans want Lebanon to set a clear timeline for the removal of all illegal weapons across the country. They expect the disarmament process to be completed by the end of the year, with the Lebanese army and security forces asserting full control over all national territory.”

While the US side appeared to acknowledge Lebanon’s complex internal dynamics and the need for national dialogue, the official said Washington viewed the six-month grace period already granted as sufficient.

“The Lebanese government is obligated to uphold the commitments made in the president’s oath of office and the ministerial statement that affirm the state’s monopoly over arms,” the source added.

“However, Lebanon will seek guarantees in return – including a full Israeli withdrawal from five occupied points in southern Lebanon, border demarcation with Israel, the release of Lebanese prisoners, a reconstruction plan for war-damaged areas, and an end to Israeli violations by land, air, and sea.”

The official also said Lebanon would demand an end to targeted assassinations of Hezbollah members, which Israel justifies as preemptive strikes.

Sending the US reply ahead of Barrack’s return, the official said, underscores Washington’s pressure on Lebanon to deliver a clear position on the future of Hezbollah’s weapons.

A Lebanese cabinet source told Asharq al-Awsat that the preemptive American move was intended to give Beirut time to study and respond to the proposal, allowing space for amendments or objections.

“The US message is focused on securing a decisive Lebanese stance on a timeline for disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions, as well as the removal of all illegal arms,” the source said.

“Washington also wants a concrete implementation mechanism to prevent any backtracking, as happened after Resolution 1701 was adopted in 2006 – when Hezbollah sidestepped its obligations and rebuilt its arsenal.”

The source acknowledged that any final decision will require dialogue with key domestic players, particularly Hezbollah, but stressed that the official stance must ultimately come from the president and the government.