US levies new sanctions on key Syrian bank

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By ANNE GEARAN and JULIE PACE, Associated Press





David Cohen, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the toll taken by sanctions on Syria is "mounting day by day."




"The Assad clique will end up, ultimately, in the dustbin of history and the people of Syria will have the chance to determine their own destiny," McDonough said. "When that happens, it will also be the most profound strategic setback that Syria's closest ally, Iran, has faced in decades. That is surely why Iran has provided material support and advice to the regime in brutalizing the Syrian people."

Speaking to a Brookings Institution forum in Doha, Qatar, McDonough pointed to what he called a recent "stunning" admission from Iran that its armed forces were joining the fight in support of the regime in Syria, and said Iran had tried to backtrack and "cover up" the announcement.

He blamed the Assad regime squarely for the massacre of 108 civilians last weekend in the town of Houla, and said claims that the killings were carried out by unaffiliated roughnecks are "a lie." Assad's associates pay the pro-government gunmen known as the shabiha, he claimed.

"Our objective is straightforward: Starve the regime of the resources it requires to pay the army, and deprive Assad's cronies of the money they need to buy the shabiha's brutal conspiracy."









