The American Coalition for Syria (ACS) is deeply alarmed by the Wall Street Journal’s report that recent conversations in Oman between U.S. officials and Assad regime intelligence and political leaders covered issues beyond hostage negotiations. ACS wholeheartedly supports efforts by the U.S. government to secure the release of American hostages, some of whom are Syrian Americans, held in captivity by the criminal Assad regime. Over the years, member organizations have spared no effort to assist the United States government in its efforts to bring them home, sharing tips, leads, and testimonies.
However, attempts to bring home American hostages should not permit Assad to walk away unscathed after a long history of committing heinous and industrial-scale crimes against its people, including the use of chemical weapons, torture, and indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas.
However, attempts to bring home American hostages should not permit Assad to walk away unscathed after a long history of committing heinous and industrial-scale crimes against its people, including the use of chemical weapons, torture, and indiscriminate bombings of civilian areas.
We must not forget that kidnapping for political concessions is a tactic used by Iran and its proxy states, dating back to 1979 with the storming of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Offering political concessions now would only incentivize rogue regimes to continue with this dangerous tactic, leading to a less safe world for all Americans and those who stand for justice and freedom. Reports that the Assad regime is actively attempting to ease U.S. sanctions for its role in the captagon trade are extremely troubling.
Dr. Mahmoud Barazi, president of ACS
ACS encourages the Biden administration to do everything it can to free U.S. hostages and the more than 136,000 Syrians that remain forcibly detained without access to family or lawyers languishing in Assad regime prisons while maintaining a U.S. policy of no normalization with the Assad regime.
