| Abstract | This research analyzes the international response, particularly of the United States, to human rights abuses in Syria under Hafez al-Assad’s Ba’athist regime, in power from 1970-2000. The study focuses on the years between 1976 and 1982, known as the ‘great repression,’ when many of the regime’s worst human rights offenses occurred. During his presidency, Assad consolidated Syria’s national power within himself by implementing strict government control; often resorting to violence, terror, and intimidation to achieve his political and military objectives. This paper draws on numerous secondary and primary sources including academic journals, personal testimonies, government documents, and periodicals to create a comprehensive look at international community’s understanding and response to the numerous human rights violations in Syria at the end of the twentieth century. The goal is to illustrate that the offenses that occurred throughout Assad’s regime were often met with inconsistent criticism from the international community that rarely led to proactive action towards ending these atrocities against human rights in Syria. |
