Syria is changing and the United States should take notice. A vibrant youth scene, complete with chic cafes and art exhibitions where bearded intellectuals discuss philosophical matters, the modish shopping districts and the WiFi hotspots in a country late to adopt the Internet, are not the only surprises in Syria. Americans will be amazed by the friendliness with which they are received. The rough-hewn tour guide in Palmyra hails his sparse American visitors as "pioneers" and instructs them to tell other Americans to visit, too; business is bad without them. …
But let’s not be naive—all is not rosy in Syria. The nation’s involvement with terrorism, obviously, remains to be carefully scrutinized. Hezbollah and Iranian propaganda is displayed in alleyway shops and bookstores. People still clam up as soon as the conversation shifts from culture to politics. … Several reform waves, including the Damascus Spring Movement in 2000 and the Damascus Declaration in 2005, were squelched by the simple expedient of jailing key participants.
Still … we should keep in mind that with some effort, positive change can occur. Libya for years pursued a foreign policy that was in many ways even more disturbing than that of Syria. The U.S. policy toward Libya moved over time from seeking regime change to seeking policy change. The Assad regime can be helpful to U.S. goals with regard to the rise of Islamic extremism, Iraq and Lebanon—and vice versa. We have to make it clear to Syria that there is more to be gained by aligning with the West than aligning with nations like Iran. Access the full article>>
