Arab League Suspends Syria

Isolation of Syria's Bashar Assad by the Arab League suspending Syria's membership is a good step, but what does it really accomplish?

The news via Haaretz;

The Arab League said on Saturday it would impose economic and political sanctions on Damascus and had appealed to member states to withdraw their ambassadors as well as calling for a meeting of Syrian opposition parties.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister David Cameron said, "This sends a clear message to President Assad and his regime who continue to refuse to allow political transition in Syria and are responsible for an escalation of violence and repression."

Iran has been living with sanctions for decades, as did Iraq - and both from a far wider circle than the Arab League.  It didn't seem to stop either from being troublemakers both domestically and abroad.  Isolation by the Arab League may prove to be a little different as it's closer to home than being sanctioned by France or the United States, but with Iran not likely to leave Syria's corner, the move may still prove to be more symbolic than anything else.