Context
Italy and France have urged the United Nations to pressurize Syria to stop its brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protestors. The United States is also contemplating imposing fresh sanctions, which has raised fears that Syria might become another Libya. Human rights organizations believe that more than 400 citizens have been killed during the past month in Syria and around 500 persons have been taken into custody within the past few days since the emergency law was lifted. The sanctions being considered by the White House would include an asset freeze, a travel ban and prevention from doing business in America. The US expects European nations to follow the initiative, since members of President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime are believed to have more assets in European countries than in America.
