The US Congress overwhelmingly approved tough new sanctions on Syria for its alleged ties to militant extremists and purported efforts to obtain nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
The measure received final approval from the Senate in a vote of 89 to 4. “This bill … adds to the tools available to the president to move Syria toward a more responsible course,” said Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, on the Senate floor. The legislation, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act, also calls on Damascus to end its occupation of Lebanon. The House approved the measure last month by a vote of 398 to four. President George W. Bush last month ended two years of opposition to the legislation, and has indicated he will sign it. Full Story
