President Biden’s Middle East coordinator on the National Security Council said Thursday that the US will “never” normalize relations with the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.
“We do not support normalization with the Assad regime. We are never going to normalize with the Assad regime. We’ve been very clear with that,” Brett McGurk said at a virtual event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
McGurk’s comments come as some of the US’s Middle East allies are accepting the fact that Assad isn’t going anywhere. Some members of Congress recently sent a letter to President Biden, calling on him to prevent Syria’s reintegration with other Arab nations.
Syria is under crushing US sanctions designed to prevent the country from rebuilding after over 10 years of war. Under the sanctions, the US can also target any person or entity for doing business with the Syrian government and helping the reconstruction effort.
In October, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated outright that it was official US policy to “oppose the reconstruction of Syria” unless there is “irreversible progress toward a political solution,” which is State Department jargon for regime change.
McGurk said that the US should discourage its allies from normalizing, although he said distinctions should be drawn. “If Jordan, a neighbor, wants to have a discussion about border security with Syria, obviously we’re not going to say no,” he said. “That’s very different than normalization with the Assad regime. And I think we ought to draw that distinction when we have these conversations.”
McGurk previously served as the US envoy for the US-led anti-ISIS coalition during the Trump administration. In 2018, he resigned in protest after President Trump said he would withdraw from Syria, something that never happened. There are currently about 900 US troops occupying areas of eastern Syria where most of the country’s oil fields are.
The US isn’t going to have a say in the reconstruction of Syria. China will have all the say (with Russian and Iranian support.) Syria just signed on the Belt and Road Initiative.
“The say”-Syria is a devastated bankrupt wreck.Any sort of efforts put into it will be to support the military aspects of the Shiite axis.The man in the street will still suffer wretchedness.
What a kind citizen of the world you are.
Jake is a Zionist.
Zionism was created by people like you.
“Cause I said the man in the street suffers? Its true..
I try to see the world as it is,and hope for a better,peaceful one. Playing violins,and blaming the US and Israel for all evil helps nothing.
I hear you Jake but…. The laundry list of ills created by Israel and the US is endlessly long and terribly tainted…
And we have a long way to go…
I do not hear violins, I hear war drums…
I am a firm believer in giving credit, where credit is due… peace-donna
Ok-genocide in Sudan, Boku Hareem running wild in Nigeria,Chechnya,Uyghurs in concentration camps in China,Burmese dictatorships, Iran opposing Oslo,Assad’s barrel bombs.Europe defecates on their Gypsies,Tennamen square, and the upcoming war for Taiwan,-open your eyes.
I have relatives in Syria and I can tell you that though life is hard for ordinary people because of the western insurgency and American sanctions, the Syrian people are very resilient and strong and they can withstand anything that the Yankees care to throw at them. Furthermore, as rsh says above, China has now come to the rescue. Your comment is totally unsubstantiated.
The USA has ZERO business in Syria other than STEALING Syria’s oil and trying to prevent it from rebuilding after helping destroy it. Does this sound like the land of “liberty and justice” to you? Sounds more like those pirates the USA made a big deal out of off the African coast a few years ago!
Russia supports an ally, but what does China gain from involvement?
I spoke to a Syrian emigre-he had to leave because he was spotted at a political meeting-was told “leave, or your own mother won’t recognize you”.
McGurk? Blinken? No, it’s just Jake.
The USA can’t even hold fair and open elections and it is trying to stick its aggressive nose in everyone else’s business? The business of the USA government should be taking care of its constituents, not creating nightmares for other people around the world!
Israel doesn’t care who’s stuff they bomb; they don’t fear the Russians, they certainly won’t fear the Chinese.
No one cares. Yankee go home.
Ruler of the World USA has a right (by its own “rules”) to destroy any country in the world, stay there and loot it (as in Syria now) even when they invaded it and decided to replace the government and stop others from supporting Syria or rebuilding it.
As for Mr SoS Blinken, who would want “normal” relations with the USA?
Washington can’t bare to lose. Cuba defeated Washington and look how long Cuba has been the subject of American sanctions Time for Washington and Americans to grow up before someone makes them.
Unfortunately, the scandalous corrupt politics of the USA affect the whole world like this. If you are “weak” on military action/support, you WILL lose an election. Overt militarism is a virus that will be the end of the USA! The money trough in DC always has the MIC pigs snorting and sticking their greedy noses in it to slurp away more American tax dollars!
The USA has become a total Zionist tool and doesn’t give a damn about the people that our corrupt politicians pretend to represent. This is becoming more and more clear.
If Israel were not demanding that the United States do to Syria what it did to Iraq and Libya, the United States would not care less who rules that country.
“US Says It Will ‘Never’ Normalize Relations With Syria’s Assad”____ Syria also says never normalize relations with US….! Just get out of country that you illegally arrived in…!
The US (ie Israel) plan: Destroy all modern secular countries and create failed (Islamic) states; this ensures that Israel can dominate the entire ME and can maintain the narrative that “Israel is the only modern democracy; the only sane option”.
Furthermore, this helps Israel with its claim that it needs to retain captured territories eg the Golan.
And who are these modern secular countires-police states.
Out of one side of its mouth, the US says that Ukraine must be allowed to form security agreements and alliances with which ever countries it so chooses since we respect other country’s sovereignty. Out of the other side of the mouth, the US says other countries can’t deal with the sovereign country of not only Syria, but Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, et al without incurring the wrath of said sovereign country respecting US of A.
It has always been a total mystery as to the “legal” right that obummer and his harpies believed, then the trump weak attempt/failure to pull out, and now these israeli firsters believe that they have to steal and pillage in syria with the us military.
Yeah, I know it is the “rules based order,” (sic) whatever that means.
In means Europe First and America’s always right as long as they uphold that and do nothing to cross it.
obviously we’re not going to say no,”
The arrogance of these Israeli first script reading clowns is nauseous.
It’s very telling that the very next story listed when you scroll down is “China, Saudi Arabia to Enhance Military Ties”. Does this mean we’re not going to object to China setting up shop in our Middle East and our ‘best buddies’ moving closer to our potential enemies?
I can’t think of a more cruel, illiberal, war-loving policy that that of the US policy toward Syria.
Does Syria give a flying fuck? Assad is the legitimate leader of Syria, whether Amerikkka recognizes it or not.
Brings to mind Amerikkka’s refusal to recognize Maduro as the actual leader of Venezuela.
Unfortunately, for once a US administration is telling the truth and not psychologically projecting.
They will never normalize with Assad.