Fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad takes both US government, international observers by surprise
Fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad takes both US government, international observers by surprise . (MENAFN) The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took both the US government and international observers by surprise, with mixed reactions from American officials. This unexpected development ...
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(MENAFN) The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took both the US and international observers by surprise, with mixed reactions from American officials. This unexpected development came after years of US efforts to isolate Assad through sanctions and pressures, with the final blow delivered by the Syrian group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), listed as a organization by the US. The leader of HTS, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, has a $10 million bounty on his head by the US government. In contrast to the surprise, US President-elect Donald stressed that Syria was not a battle for the United States and should not interfere in it, signaling his independent approach to crisis management. The Washington Report, a joint publication on Middle Eastern affairs, explores how the Biden administration will handle the new situation, including the possibility of removing HTS from the US terrorist list and the US's future military involvement in Syria.



Many American diplomats, including Theodore Qutuf, the US ambassador to Syria and the UAE, expressed shock over Assad's swift collapse. Qutuf attributed the fall to Assad's weakening position and the lack of loyalty from his military forces. William Roebuck, former US ambassador to Bahrain, called the fall of Assad a "shocking turn," noting that the lifting of Iranian and Russian support left him vulnerable. Former Pentagon official Col. Anthony Shaffer highlighted that the collapse was due to the neutralization of Assad's key supporters, Hezbollah and Russia, which weakened his army. Additionally, he pointed out that Turkey's involvement under President Erdogan, exploiting the loss of Russian support, has been crucial in reshaping the situation. The fate of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Kurdish allies of the US is a growing concern, especially with discussions about the potential withdrawal of US forces from northeastern Syria. Both Qutuf and Roebuck expressed concerns about abandoning Kurdish allies once again. Turkey’s increasing influence in Syria, driven by its own concerns about Kurdish power and the return of refugees, poses a serious challenge to US policies in the region. The US’s complicated relationship with Turkey adds to the uncertainty regarding the future of Kurdish forces and their role in combating ISIS. As the situation evolves, the US faces difficult decisions about its military presence and partnerships in Syria, particularly as President-elect Trump is likely to reassess US strategy and military costs in the region.

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https://menafn.com/1108994472/Fall-of-Syrian-President-Bashar-al-Assad-takes-both-US-government-international-observers-by-surprise
2024-12-15
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(MENAFN) The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took both the US government and international observers by surprise, with mixed reactions from American officials. This unexpected development ...
Fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad takes both US government, international observers by surprise