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Specifically, food, medical and other essential supplies and services can't be embargoed. Humanitarian assistance must be offered. Geneva and Additional Protocols call for assurances during armed conflict.
The right to life, medical care, health, food, clothing, housing, and other essentials fall under their principles. As a result, sanctions must include humanitarian considerations. Harm to civilian populations must be minimized. Permitting undo suffering is unacceptable.
Fourth Geneva's Article 33 prohibits collective punishment, saying:
"No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited....Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited."
Western imposed economic sanctions violate fundamental international law provisions.
Pro-Western Arab League Duplicity
On November 16, Arab League officials proposed deploying 500 civilian and military monitors to assess whether Syria's abiding by their brokered peace plan to end conflict they support.
Syria requested modifications. Arab League officials rejected them. Assad said "(t)h conflict will continue, and the pressure to subjugate Syria will continue. However, I assure you that Syria will not bow down and that it will continue to resist the pressure being imposed on it."
Deployed monitors are a step short of occupation. It's reminiscent of events preceding NATO's 1999 Serbia/Kosovo war. In March 1999, Slobodon Milosovic got an acceptable ultimatum, the so-called Rambouillet Agreement. It was a take-it-or-leave it deal no responsible leader would accept.
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