The US Congress is set to impose new sanctions on Syria following signals from the US government that it would no longer block legislation that could cut off all US commerce with Syria.
The House international relations committee approved the Syria Accountability Act on Wednesday and the bill is expected to win approval quickly in both the House and Senate.
The Bush administration has taken no formal position on the bill, but "it is clear its new stand represents implicit support", said Tom Lantos, a California Democrat. "People in the White House are plain fed-up with Syria," said a congressional aide.
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The congressional move comes in the wake of Israel's weekend attack on an alleged Palestinian militant camp near Damascus in response to the latest suicide bombing that killed 20 people in Haifa. The American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee, Israel's lobbying arm in Washington, has been pushing for the bill to be passed.
Strong majorities in both houses of Congress have pressed for more than two years to impose sanctions on Syria. But the administration has opposed the legislation, saying it could interfere with Israel-Palestinian peace efforts and threaten Syrian co-operation in the US war on al-Qaeda.
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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ft/20031008/bs_ft/1059480445166America and Israel stand shoulder to shoulder. Be glad.
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