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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
| Syria Cracks Open Its Frail Economy | |
| 2009-09-01 | |
But President Bashar Assad -- heir to his family's political dynasty -- has started unshackling the economy by permitting private banks and insurers to open shop and by letting Syrians hold foreign currency without risk of being tossed in jail. In March, he opened Syria's first stock exchange. Nearby are a Ford showroom and a KFC restaurant. His four-year-old overhaul is now getting an unexpected lift from Washington. This fall the U.S. plans to name an ambassador to Damascus, its first in years. And in late July the State Department eased some sanctions set by President George W. Bush to punish Syria's support for militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #6 The Syrian economy is in deep shit compared to the Joos and the west, therefore it has decided to slowly make some economic changes in order to avoid total collapse. /end article This is nothing more than a move to keep Pencilneck's position secure. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2009-09-01 14:34 |
| #5 Aw com'on now Y'all should know by now that Ohshit worships power and Money note power is in first place. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-09-01 13:17 |
| #4 But it could happen as described. I wouldn't dare predict at what probability above zero, though. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-09-01 08:37 |
| #3 What a sickening white-wash. Amazing how you can take such damning information throw in a few sentences such as "Syria is accelerating its economic opening -- boosting U.S. hopes that its tight relationship with Iran might be weakened." or "Assad -- has started unshackling the economy by permitting private banks and insurers to open shop and by letting Syrians hold foreign currency without risk of being tossed in jail. " ... and people will read right past the fact that what this article is really saying is that: 1. we are easing sanctions with Syria to allow them to buy parts for their jets that can't currently can't fly and Oracle software for their central banks . 3. changes could simply be a tool for transferring state assets to members of the president's inner circle. Rami Makhlouf, an Assad cousin, has come to dominate the Syrian telecom and tourism trades amid a privatization push. Last year, the U.S. Treasury barred American firms from doing business with him for alleged corruption. 5. U.S. officials also believed Damascus ordered the 2005 assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri..you know, the guy who inspired all of the talent to come back into Beirut. Isn't that what this article is all about? How they want to lessen restrictions to unshackle their economy and get the talent to come back? 6. The Obama administration, by easing sanctions on Syria, seemed to signal that "other things than democracy are more important for the U.S." And I also love the way they manage to blame Bush in this article. This line is so classic right here: Senior Obama administration officials acknowledge that human rights remain a major problem in Syria. But they argue that the Bush administration's attempts to isolate President Assad only made the regime more repressive. But don't you see, dear reader...it's all good news! Members of Mr. Assad's government say that while they are determined to improve their relationship with the U.S., they are also keeping their options open when it comes to Iran. "Syria's a friendly country toward Iran. That's not a secret," said Fayssal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, in an interview last month. "We believe we can play a role in solving misunderstandings" between the U.S. and Iran. Well thank goodness for that! And with the help of people like this writer from the WSJ, we can all stop misunderstanding that Iran makes clear that they want to nuke Israel, kill our troops and violently suppress their own population. |
| Posted by: Jumbo Slinerong5015 2009-09-01 05:58 |
| #2 Syria hates our guts. They'll never be any kind of friend, and Assad will crush anyone who tries to overthrow him. |
| Posted by: gromky 2009-09-01 05:17 |
| #1 Syria is accelerating its economic opening -- boosting U.S. hopes Let Jazia roll in. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-09-01 03:55 |