US weighing more sanctions against Syria over support for Iraqi insurgents

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/usiraqsyriasanctions

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States is considering imposing new sanctions on Syria to force it to crack down on Iraqis in Syria who are providing support to the Iraqi insurgents, The New York Times said, quoting top US counterterrorism officials.

The officials, who asked not to be identified, said Syria had not taken action against the network of Iraqis, despite months of quiet protests from the United States, including a weekend visit to the Syrian capital Damascus by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.


The officials said that under consideration was a ban on US dealings with the Commercial Bank of Syria, the country's single government-owned financial institution specializing in foreign exchange.


In May the US Treasury Department (news - web sites) accused the bank of laundering money that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) diverted from the UN-run oil-for-food program while he was in power.