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Setting the Record Straight

Potential Partner for Regional Stability

“As long as the current radical regime is in power in Damascus, there won’t be any negotiated peace even of the most superficial variety because the conflict is indispensible to the Syrian dictatorship. And the most probably type of change in Syria—though its likelihood is still low—to a radical Islamist regime would make any such peace even less likely.”
—Barry Rubin, director, Global Research in International Affairs Center, IDC Herzliya, “Peace on the Borderline,” The Rubin Report, May 31, 2009versus
  • “The al-Asad regime in Syria continues to play the dangerous game of allowing or accepting extremist networks and terrorist facilitators to operate from and through Syrian territory. ... However, unlike Iran, Syria’s motives probably stem from short-sighted calculations rather than ideology. It is possible that over time Syria could emerge as a partner in promoting security in the Levant and in the region.”
    —General David Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command, testimony to the House Armed Services Committee, “The Afghanistan-Pakistan Strategic Review and the Posture of U.S. Central Command,” April 2, 2009

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    WATCH: Prospects for a Two-State Solution: Understanding Challenges and Creating Opportunities

    Featured panelists:

    Brigadier General (Ret.) Ilan Paz, former head of the Israeli Civil Administration in the West Bank (2002-2005)
    Ghaith al-Omari, advocacy director, American Task Force on Palestine; advisor, Middle East Progress; former advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

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    When: Friday, March 20, 2009
    Program: 9:00am to 10:30am

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    Syria and the United States: Regional Views

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    President Assad & Special Envoy Mitchell (AP)

    An Ambassador to Syria and a Message to Iran

    The National, Editorial
    For the first time since the Bush administration recalled the U.S. ambassador from Damascus in 2005 … the United States will have a fully staffed embassy in Damascus. … To a certain extent, the decision is a leap of faith. Syria remains an important patron of both Hezbollah and Hamas, which have been dangerous sources of instability in the region. …

    With more direct diplomatic channels to the United States, Syria can have a greater say in the Middle East process, to which the Obama administration has demonstrated an intense commitment. The United States wants to show that the benefits of partnership in this process are far greater than the benefits Syria would accrue in acting as a spoiler, or allowing others to do so. And while the American economy may be struggling, nations shun access to U.S. markets, aid and investment at their own people’s expense. Access the full article>>

    Analysis

    Once More the Smell of Falafel

    Zvi Bar'el (Haaretz)

    Syria, like Israel or the Palestinians, gives nothing away for free. For the revival of ties with the United States it pays in hard currency at the Iraqi border, and by avoiding any involvement in the Lebanese elections, which led to the victory of Saad Hariri’s coalition. It will also require full payment for peace with Israel. …

    Last week Syrian President Bashar Assad said once more that Israel is not a partner for peace. This declaration was not intended for

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    Whether Socialism: Syria Baath Party Debates Renewal

    Institute for War and Peace Reporting.

    Syria’s ruling Baath party is considering a renewal process to meet a growing gap between the socialist nature of the regime and the market-oriented reality on the ground, observers say. …

    Challenged by a fall in oil production and growing unemployment, Syria has adopted many steps in the past few years to shift from being a state-controlled economy into a more market-oriented one. Several laws were set to open the country to private banks and foreign investments as well as

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    Acting As If Iran Is Not Present

    Tariq Alhomayed, editor-in-chief, Asharq Al-Awsat

    Five important statements were made in a single day, from and concerning Syria. … [The] statements contradict one another; on the one hand Syria is betting on Iran, while on the other hand the Syrians are saying that they want to resume [indirect] negotiations with Israel, cooperate with the Hariri tribunal, and that should the Saudi monarch visit Damascus he will receive a warm welcome. So what is happening? … [An Arab source] added that the Syrian praise of Iran

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    What Will the Thaw Between Syria and the U.S. Mean for Lebanon?

    The Daily Star, Editorial

    The Obama administration thankfully understands that agreeing to communicate does not necessarily mean that you need to agree on everything, but rather that you are open to exploring constructive ways of resolving differences. If both the U.S. and Syria are adopting this attitude, it can only be beneficial for Lebanon, which has in the past gotten bruised in the tug of war between the two countries.

    One of the main concerns in Lebanon is that a mending of ties between Syria

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    News

    Heard on the Street

    Tough-Minded Dialogue Can Yield Results

    Edward Djerejian, former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Israel; former assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, “Job Advice for the New Ambassador to Syria,” interview with National Public Radio, June 25, 2009:

    “When I was assigned to Damascus in 1988, under President Reagan and, later, President Bush, 41, we had a very adversarial situation between the two countries, as we do today, and admittedly in a different historic context, but we had major issues: the civil war in Lebanon, the Israeli-Syrian relationship, issues involving Syrian Jewry, et cetera. … But yet, we engaged. We engaged in a very direct, very authoritative manner with the president of the United States and the secretary of state fully behind the dialogue. And we were able, in that context, to achieve results … helping to end the civil war in Lebanon, getting Syria on board our coalition against Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, getting freedom of travel of Syrian Jews. And the big prize was getting the Syrians and—especially then President Hafez al-Assad—to agree to face to face direct negotiations with Israel. So I am a very strong proponent of dialogue with our adversaries. I support President Obama’s initiatives for a dialogue with Syria and Iran, for example, but as long as that dialogue is conducted in a very authoritative and tough-minded manner.”

    Background Basics

    Outstanding Issues Between the United States and Syria

    Since taking office, the Obama administration has begun to reengage Syria as part of its comprehensive approach to the region. On June 12, Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following meetings between high-level U.S. and Syrian officials in March and May. On June 24, the State Department announced that the United States would be sending an ambassador to Damascus, a position that has been empty since the

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