Syria Accountability Act - Continued

SYRIA ACCOUNTABILITY ACT-CONTINUED

Mr. DURBIN. I thank the Senator from California.

Mr. President, I rise as a cosponsor in strong support of the Syria Accountability Act.

Syria plays a key role in the Mideast region and it could play a constructive role, but all too often, it has not.

After September 11, Syria offered to share information that could help in the U.S. fight against terrorists. It joined us in the first Gulf War to oust Saddam Hussein from Kuwait in 1991, and it joined in peace negotiations with Israel in the 1990s. But Syria has taken steps and pursued policies that have undermined regional peace and damaged U.S. interests.

Syria was opposed to the US invasion of Iraq and it certainly has a right to that opinion but Syria has not taken robust action to keep foreign fighters from crossing its borders to fight Americans.

Syria objects to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, but has itself occupied Lebanon since 1976. More than 20,000 Syrian troops and police occupy much of Lebanon, dominating its politics and government and undermining its independence.

Syria harbors terrorists that promote and organize violence, undermining hope and progress for a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace settlement.

Hizballah, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command have offices, maintain training camps, and other facilities on Syrian territory and operate in areas of Lebanon occupied by the Syrian army, such as the Beqaa Valley. Some of these groups, Hizballah in particular, receive supplies from Iran through Syria.

The people of Syria are repressed, ruled by a small ethnic minority in a police state. There is no freedom of speech, no political freedom, and no freedom to dissent. The Syrian regime is also run by the Ba'ath Party, but split from Saddam Hussein's branch of this party.

The President has recently spoken about how badly the Middle East needs an infusion of democracy. He has argued that, despite the fact that the United States has found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, this country's war was justified because of the repressive nature of that regime.

I agree wholeheartedly with the President that one of the most important things that this country can do to fight terrorism is to promote democracy in the Middle East.

The lack of democracy in many Middle Eastern countries has led directly to Islamic extremism. There are almost no outlets for political expression in a region filled with kings, emirs, and rubberstamp parliaments-except at the mosque.

It is no accident that most of the terrorists were originally from countries that do not allow dissent or meaningful political participation.

I, for one, do not believe this nation can remove every dictator and repressive regime. We cannot impose democracy from the other end of an M-16.

Mideast countries will not become models of democracy and openness overnight. But we must look to a longer term future where we call on them to embark on a "soft-landing" towards a more democratic future.

The bill we consider today, the Syria Accountability Act, will send a strong message of disapproval to Syria regarding its actions supporting terrorism, undermining regional peace, repressing its people, and undermining the independence of Lebanon. It will send those messages short of going to war.

The bill will broaden U.S. sanctions against Syria unless the President certifies that Syria does not support terrorism; that it has withdrawn its military, intelligence, and security personnel from Lebanon; stopped developing ballistic missiles and chemical and biological weapons; and that it is no longer in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The bill allows the President to waive sanctions if he believes waiving them would be in the interests of U.S. national security.

I believe that Syria could play a constructive role in bringing peace to the region, ending the scourge of terrorism, and take its place as a regional leader. Syria and the United States could enjoy strong and growing relations. The bill we pass today will hold Syria accountable for its actions and send a strong message that Syria must change.

Syria has a great opportunity to decide whether it will be part of the family of civilized nations dedicated to self-government, dedicated to the principles of equality, and dedicated to peace in the region, or Syria can turn a different course. There has been ample evidence of I guess the experience we have had in Syria to suggest they have decided to chart a course that is not consistent with those values.

After September 11, Syria was one of the first to come to our side and say they would help us fight terrorism in the world. I had a chance to visit that nation and its leader shortly thereafter. He expressed condolences for our losses in the United States and pledged support in our effort to end terrorism.

Sadly, the accumulated evidence since that date does not suggest Syria has made the real commitment we need, not only for the sake of ending terrorism in our country but for the sake of ending terrorism in the world. In fact, too many times Syria has been on the wrong side of history in the past and the current day.

This Syria Accountability Act basically says to Syria they will be held accountable for their conduct. Frankly, we understand that today Damascus, Syria, is the international headquarters for a variety of terrorist groups. That is totally unacceptable.

The President was right when he said we are opposed to not only terrorists, but those who harbor and support them. Syria has to take those words to heart, and this act is a measure that needs to be passed by Congress and signed into law by the President so Syria understands the importance of the role it plays in the Middle East and how closely it will be watched.