Throughout the past two presidential administrations, the United States never articulated a coherent Syrian strategy beyond maintaining the status quo or just outright abandonment of Syria.
The Syrian conflict has dragged on for seven years. Since the beginning of the conflict, U.S. policymakers have been divided on a prudent course of action.
President Trump has called for a withdrawal of military forces from Syria. “I want to bring our troops back home,” he said. That has not happened yet.
Elusive Answers
There is no easy answer to the Syrian conflict. An outright military withdrawal would be reminiscent of the Obama administration’s precipitous U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, which allowed Iran to fill the power vacuum in the Middle East.
A pullout from Syria would also lock in Moscow and Tehran as Syria’s power brokers. Russia and Iran would further threaten Israel, the longtime ally of the United States. In addition, a U.S. withdrawal would hamper intelligence collection capabilities and constrict Washington’s ability to respond to a resurgent al Qaeda or Islamic State threat.
Whatever strategy the U.S. adopts, the administration first needs to balance its strategic interests in Syria with Washington’s Middle East regional interests. This means incorporating a realist balance of power competition with Moscow and Tehran.
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