In New Blow to Arab League, Gulf Nations Pull Observers Out of Syria
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KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images(DAMASCUS, Syria) — The Arab League mission to monitor the ongoing government crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Syria lost more credibility on Tuesday when six nations announced they were pulling their observers because of the violence and Damascus’ refusal to adhere to an agreement to end its military occupation of cities.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman all decided they could no longer participate in the mission that Syria said it would allow to be extended for one month. All are part of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Arab League observers have already spent several weeks in Syria, which critics complained did little to stop the widespread killings by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. The United Nations estimates that well over 5,500 people have died as the result of the crackdown over the past 10 months.
With the mission seemingly crippled, the Gulf Cooperation Council has called upon the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution approving the Arab League’s mission in Syria as well as putting more pressure on Damascus to end the crackdown.
Al-Assad has rejected the call for foreign intervention to stop the mayhem while turning down an Arab League proposal to cede power to a transitional government so that free elections can take place.
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