In a letter ciruclating the U.S. Capitol, the Syrian government makes its case to Congress about why they should stay out of the country’s civil war.
The letter, obtained by TPM, is printed on the letterhead of the Syrian People’s Assembly and signed by Mohammad Jihad al-Lahham, the assembly’s speaker.
The letter presents the same arguments advanced publicly by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose regime the Obama administration alleges was behind the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus that killed more than 1,000 people. It asserts that the opposition groups are led by Islamic radicals and that the rebels were the ones responsible for the chemical weapons attack.
“We urge you not to rush into any irresponsible reckless action. You have the power and the responsibility today to convert the United States of America from the war track to the diplomatic path,” the letter, dated Sept. 5, says. “We hope to meet there, and to talk, as civilised peoples should. We adopt a diplomatic solution, as we realize that war would be a bloody destructive catastrophic track, which does not have any benefit for all nations.”
According to TPM’s source, “most offices” on the Hill have received the memo. At least one other office confirmed to TPM that they had received the letter.
