This is the Opinions, a show that brings you a mix of voices from New York Times opinion.
You've heard the news.
Here's what to make of it.
My name is Farrah Stockman, and I am a member of the New York Times editorial board.
I also write about foreign policy and domestic politics.
So we've just witnessed this incredible historic event where after 13 years,
a brutal civil war in Syria, the Syrian regime, led by Bashar Al Assad, has fallen.
A coalition of rebel groups has taken over, swept the country, and Assad has fled.
And so there's this window of opportunity, there's this moment of hope that Syria, which has been this, like,
bleeding wound for so long in the Middle east, that it could find,
finally turn the page and start to rebuild and welcome its refugees home.
But I don't think that can happen unless the United States lifts sanctions on Syria.
Syria is one of the most heavily sanctioned countries on earth,
and there's no way that it can rebuild its economy and open a new chapter as long as those sanctions remain in place.
So there's actually been so many waves of sanctions on Syria starting
in 1979 when we sanctioned them as state sponsors of terrorism
for invading Lebanon and supporting Hezbollah.
And the most severe human rights sanctions to hit Syria happened about five years ago.
It's called the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.
And this law was passed after a military defector from Syria came out of the country