The Canadian government announced today it will be expanding existing sanctions on Syria. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said that Canada will freeze the assets of more people and entities associated with the Syrian government, including the Commercial Bank of Syria.
“The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by killing Syrian men, women and children to stay in power.” said Baird, “This campaign of terror must stop.”
I couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately Assad and his band of thugs have been panting themselves into a corner with blood.
Facing down the choice between an angry mob demanding their heads and an international community who will likely charge them for crimes against humanity, it is no wonder Syria’s regime chooses to continue the massacre.
But the bloodbath won’t continue forever.
There’s been talks of Turkey issuing ultimatums for Assad to end the uprising within two weeks. Analysts also predict NATO is preparing for attacks on Syria, because their intervention has been going swimmingly well in Libya.
So if sanctions and interventions are ineffectual, then what’s the solution? Where’s the hope and optimism that I’m supposed to be espousing here?
Well, for one, the Syrian people will persevere until they get the reform they deserve, giving us another testament to the indomitable human spirit and lending inspiration to other repressed peoples of the world.
As well, the proliferation of portable technology and social media will make future uprisings more prevalent and effective.
But the most important thing to take away from the Syrian situation is a lesson: never allow too much power to concentrate into too few hands, because it will likely cost many lives for the people to take the power back.
