Staff Reports
In a dramatic turn of events, President Joe Biden has reeled in a few congratulatory words for the supposed fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. With an address that seemed almost rehearsed, Biden proclaimed this upheaval as a “historic opportunity” for the beleaguered nation. Of course, the term “historic” could be taken with a grain of salt considering the chaos that often accompanies such moments in history, particularly in the Middle East.
Biden’s claim of Assad’s regime having “fallen” came just hours after rebels surged into Damascus, taking control of the capital amid scenes that could only be described as celebratory—not that the Biden administration wouldn’t want to label such upheaval as a democratic victory. Posters of Assad were ripped down, statues of him were toppled, and government buildings were raided with gusto, all suggesting more of a spontaneous rebellion than a well-orchestrated democratic triumph. One can’t help but wonder if Biden has ever been to a college football game, where similar joyous chaos erupts.
Biden says end of ‘brutal’ Assad regime is a moment of ‘historic opportunity’ https://t.co/b87D81thvQ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 8, 2024
While celebrating this “victory,” Biden couldn’t resist taking jabs at Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia, the main supporters of the Assad regime. The president implied that these allies were showing signs of weakness, or at least were on the back foot, suggesting that America under his leadership has somehow managed to deflate their influence in the region. Naturally, this proclamation raises eyebrows for anyone familiar with the tumultuous history of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, as it has a knack for making everything from invasions to alliances look like a high-stakes poker game where everyone seems to lose.
Among the lofty ideals waved around by the Biden administration, the task of securing the safety of the region and countering ISIS’s potential resurgence took center stage. Enter Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria for over a decade, whose fate has become a focal point of Biden’s discourse. While expressing optimism about Tice being alive, the president surely juggles more than a few challenges in finding Tice or ensuring a smooth transition of power. One wonders if the administration’s plan involves more than just wishing on a star.
Finally, amidst the proclamations of newfound freedoms and promises to help shape a “sovereign” Syria with a shiny new constitution, Biden cautioned that the rebel groups now stepping into the spotlight have their own unsavory histories of terrorism and human rights violations. Apparently, a lecture on good governance and human rights principles is in the cards, although it comes from a leader grappling with his own domestic issues, including a looming election where promises sometimes fall by the wayside faster than campaign slogans.
The implications of this turmoil in Syria are profound, but whether Biden’s remarks will resonate beyond the grand stage of politics remains to be seen. As with many government declarations, time will tell if this is a genuine opportunity for a peaceful regime, or yet another page in the complex and often convoluted narrative that is Middle Eastern politics.
