This is a big story potentially and further confirms Barack Obama’s long-range vision to mend U.S. fences in the Arab world and engage with those the Bush administration denounced as America’s enemies:
President Obama has decided to send a U.S. ambassador back to Syria, a dramatic sign of reconciliation between the two countries, senior administration officials tell CNN. The announcement is expected to be made this week.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, left, welcomes U.S. envoy George Mitchell in Damascus on June 13.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, left, welcomes U.S. envoy George Mitchell in Damascus on June 13.
“It’s in our interests to have an ambassador in Syria, a senior administration official told CNN Tuesday night. “We have been having more and more discussions, and we need to have someone there to engage.”
The official said that the decision was not in any way related to the election crisis in Iran, although the Obama administration has maintained engaging the Syrian regime could weaken Syria’s strategic alliance with Iran.
Syrian Ambassador to the United States Imad Moustapha said his country had not formally been notified of the decision, but told CNN if this is true, it reflects the genuine desire by the United States to correct the past efforts of the Bush administration and engage Syria.
It’s good for the United States, it’s good for Syria and it’s good for the region, Moustapha said.
One of the themes I pounded home over and over again during the election campaign was that Obama was a realist and pragmatist, as opposed to the raging messianism of the Bush cabal.
A president who can do what Obama has done has an overall vision for comprehensive peace in the region and I am convinced he will get there. If not all the way there then at least partially so. Even partial success will be far better than the abysmal failure of the past few administrations.
Bibi Netanyahu is right if he’s trembling in his boots a bit more than normal tonight. U.S. rapprochement with Syria means this president thinks a peace deal is within striking distance between Syrian and Israel. Just as he has been a dog with a bone regarding the settlement freeze, Obama will not rest until Syria and Israel are negotiating in earnest for a peace deal. That means giving up the Golan, which will cause Bibi no end of shame in the eyes of his territorial maximalist supporters.
We might’ve known something was up when Mideast envoy George Mitchell made a stop in Damascus during his visit to the region last week, where he met with Bashar Assad. It seems when Mitchell comes to town things happen. I like that.
There is another reason this development is important: if the U.S. can ratchet down tensions on Israel’s northern border and perhaps even achieve a peace deal that includes Syria, Israel and Lebanon…then Syria can use its influence on Khaled Meshal and Hamas’ Syrian-based leadership to achieve a modus vivendi between Israel and Hamas. A second Israeli-Palestinian negotiation and settlement might even be possible.
I don’t know if Obama plays chess, but so far his diplomatic moves give one that impression. The pieces are aligned and moving step-by-step towards their target. Each piece makes a small incremental move toward the final goal.
