In mid January, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson unveiled the administration’s new policy with concern to Syria. In a widely covered speech at Stanford, Tillerson declared an open-ended commitment of US forces in that country. “Let us be clear,” said Tillerson, “the United States will maintain a military presence in Syria, focused on ensuring ISIS cannot re-emerge.” Asking the American people for “patience,” Tillerson also signaled a long-term commitment to regime change. While acknowledging that “some Americans are skeptical of continued involvement in Syria,” Tillerson claimed it is “vital for the U.S. to remain engaged” in Syria […]
The policy of regime change in Syria is being driven by both the administration’s obsession—actively egged on by Tel Aviv and Riyadh—with Iran and by the perception that the secular, pro-Iranian, and brutal Assad is a bad actor in the region. But it should be kept in mind that, as NYU’s Stephen Holmes has written, “Homicidal rulers are sometimes toppled, it is true, but rarely by good Samaritans.” This is certainly so in the case of Syria, where American (and Israeli) intervention has only served to strengthen the hand of radical jihadi groups like al-Nusra. It is often too little noted that Assad is (and has been) popular among his own people, whom he is routinely accused of butchering. Indeed, by October of last year, over 700,000 Syrians had returned to their homes in government-controlled areas. Läs artikel