Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — The United States has shut its embassy in Syria and
moved American staffers and their families out of the country.

The State Department said it has ordered the suspension of all
operations at the U.S. embassy in Damascus. The department, citing
deteriorating security, said the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad was
notified of the decision.

“The United States has suspended operations of our embassy in Damascus as of Feb. 6,” the State Department said on Feb. 6. “Ambassador [Robert] Ford and all American personnel have now departed the country.”

The State Department said the embassy in Damascus was not protected from attack amid the revolt that reached the city’s suburbs. The department said the regime of President Bashar Assad has failed to respond to U.S. appeals for embassy security.

“Ambassador Ford has left Damascus but he remains the United States ambassador to Syria and its people,” the department said. “As the president’s representative, he will continue his work and engagement with the Syrian people as head of our Syria team in Washington.”

Officials said Ford was maintaining contacts with the Syrian opposition
both in the country as well as abroad. They said they expected other Western
countries to close their embassies in Damascus.

“We continue to be gravely concerned by the escalation of violence in
Syria caused by the regime’s blatant defiance of its commitments to the
action plan it agreed to with the Arab League,” the department said.

“The deteriorating security situation that led to the suspension of our
diplomatic operations makes clear once more the dangerous path Assad has
chosen and the regime’s inability to fully control Syria.”

  Ambassador Robert Ford, Arab League, Assad ignored pleas for security from U.S. embassy in Damascus, Bashar Assad, Syrian opposition, U.S. State Department