This week, the State Department’s top Middle East diplomat is slated to meet with Syrian ambassador to the United States Imad Mustapha in what will be the Obama administration’s first talks with a senior Syrian official and Mustapha’s highest-level U.S. contact in years. The meeting comes amid a flurry of activity regarding U.S.-Syrian-Lebanese relations, including high-level congressional visits to Syria, a strongly worded White House statement in support of Beirut, and shifts in U.S. policies widely interpreted as a diplomatic overture to Damascus. …
The Obama administration faces an enormous challenge in balancing the priorities of simultaneously supporting the March 14 coalition and engaging Damascus. In both cases, the stakes are high. A Hezbollah victory in the Lebanese elections would represent a strategic setback for regional moderates at the hands of Iran and Syria. Conversely, if the administration could somehow engineer the strategic realignment of Syria —away from Iran toward the peace camp— it would prove a real blow to regional militants. As Washington’s engagement with Syria moves forward, balancing should remain an integral element of the strategy. No doubt, the approach will be difficult to sustain, but the preliminary signs at least suggest that the Obama administration understands the stakes and is taking steps to mitigate the potentially harmful consequences of the policy. Access the full article>>
