(Image source: Wikimedia Commons)

BY STEVEN SPARKMAN

The Arab League held an emergency session Saturday to decide how to respond to Syria’s ongoing violent crackdown against protesters. Their decision was pretty drastic. Here’s Fox News.

“Syria suspended from the Arab League, the vote taking place a short time ago. The suspension will take affect on Wednesday. The Arab League also warning Syria that it could face sanctions if it doesn’t end its bloody crackdown against anti-government protesters. The U.N. estimates 3500 people killed in the uprising, and the violence has only gotten worse in recent weeks.”

Last week, Syria agreed to cease violence against its citizens, release detainees and withdraw tanks from residential areas.

The government says the measures are ongoing, but observers say they haven’t happened at all. In fact, a Human Rights Watch report says November is shaping up to be the bloodiest month since protests began in the Spring. (Video source: Human Rights Watch)

The Arab League is also urging member states to withdraw diplomatic contacts from Syria. The Syrian government attacked the decision, saying it violates the League’s charter. Syria’s state-run Syrian-Arab News Agency has the ambassador’s response.

“In a phone call with the Syrian TV, Ambassador Ahmad said that this decision is a eulogy for Arab common action and a blatant announcement that its administration is subordinate to US-western agendas...”

Foreign Policy analyst Marc Lynch says the very idea that Arab states can be punished for internal policies is a big change for the League.

“...in the space of one year we have gone from an Arab regional order which rejected any limits on state sovereignty to one where both Arab public opinion and the Arab League could agree that leaders should have their assets frozen, be forced from power or be brought to the ICC because they brutalized their people.”

But a reporter from Al Jazeera says the League stopped short of putting their full weight against Syria, and are using the three-day window to give themselves some wiggle room.

“Now, they could have gone a lot further, they could have done a total suspension, and they didn’t. This is somewhere in between. … So this is essentially a measure that... a stopgap measure, as some people see it, with Syria buying time as well.”

While Syria could avoid suspension by stopping the crackdown before Wednesday, that’s not expected to happen. An analyst for the BBC outlines what the suspension will mean moving forward.

“The Arab League has taken tougher action against Syria than anyone expected. The moves will dramatically increase the isolation of President Assad's government. The League has even threatened to refer the issue to the United Nations. And opposition groups are being invited to Arab League Headquarters so they can agree on a unified position.”