WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Tuesday it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly.
He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with, but the State Department has not ruled out talks with the main Syrian rebel group despite its designation as a terrorist organization.
The qualified pledge of support for a post-Assad Syria comes as the Biden administration targets Islamic State fighters to try to prevent the group from reemerging as an international threat and maintains support for Israel as its forces conduct their own operations inside Syria.
The sudden ouster of Assad has left President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration to delicately maneuver through yet another volatile moment in the Middle East, while President-elect Donald Trump demands that the United States stay out of the fray.
Not a bad policy overall, but the problem is Trump administration is coming in. Knowing them, they’ll demand the new government open up trade with Israel and acknowledge Israel’s claims on Syrian land (Golan Heights) or be sanctioned to death.
There’s zero chance that wouldn’t go exactly the same under the Biden administration. If/when this new government decides to start persecuting their LGBT community I would bet the Trump administration would cheer them on where a Biden administration would tell them to stop, but Israel gets a blank check to commit atrocities from both of them.