US lawmakers propose bill to counter normalization with Syria's Assad

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced a bill that would prohibit the US from normalizing diplomatic relations with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad's government and impose further sanctions on regional countries resuming ties with Damascus. The bill would require an annual strategy for five years to counter normalization with the Assad government and pave the way for sanctions on countries engaging in energy transactions with Syria and allowing Syrian airlines to land in their airports. The legislation came after Syria was readmitted to the Arab League, which enraged US officials who intended to keep Syria isolated.