
For more than a decade, the United States has sought to keep out of Syria's political debacle, seeing no viable partner. Islamist rebels' toppling of strongman Bashar al-Assad has forced a change of tune -- and a debate over just what US interests are. Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in little more than a month, on the eve of Assad's fall called Syria "a mess" and stated in his plain-speaking style that the United States should not be involved. Joe Biden's administration, after putting Syria on the backburner in a turbulent region, has offered a tacit rebuttal by stating that clear US interests are at stake -- including preventing Syria from fragmenting and avoiding a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's and Biden's statements could be combined and "together they make a kind of decent policy." The United States needs to address real concerns about the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but "as far as getting involved in arranging the politics of Syria, I think that no good can come from it," Cook said. Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has walked a fine line on Syria that critics often derided as a non-policy. The United States questioned the legitimacy of Assad, demanding accountability for brutality in one of the 21st century's deadliest wars, but stopped short of prioritizing his departure due to suspicions about the main rebels. The Islamist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has now led Assad's ouster, traces its roots to Syria's Al-Qaeda branch and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Since Obama's time, the United States instead has allied itself in Syria with a smaller fighting force of the Kurdish minority -- over strenuous objections of neighboring Turkey, which backs HTS -- with a narrow mission to counter the Islamic State group. Some 900 US troops remain in Syria. Assad fell in a lighting surprise offensive as his protector Russia is bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine and after Israel's military heavily degraded Assad's other key supporters -- Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. - How to deal with Islamists? - Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria, helped spearhead the terrorist designation of HTS in 2012 but said that the group since then has not attacked US or Western targets and has instead fought Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. "Can you imagine Osama bin Laden saying that?" said Ford, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "I'm not saying 'trust Jolani.' He's obviously authoritarian. He's obviously an Islamist who doesn't believe that Christians have an equal right to power as Muslims. But I sure as hell want to test him on some of these things," Ford said. He said that the United States should encourage HTS, as well as other Syrian actors, to reach out and reassure the country's diverse communities including Christians, Kurds and Alawites -- the sect of the secular-oriented Assad. Beyond that, Washington should take a back-seat and let Syrians sort out their future, he said. "We should learn from the experience in Iraq that trying to impose exiles on a population traumatized by a brutal dictatorship and war is not a recipe for success," Ford said. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday offered US recognition to a future government that is "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian." - Weighing terrorist label - Trump in his first term, at the urging of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, abruptly said he would pull troops out of Syria. He backtracked after intense criticism at home and appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, who pointed to the risk of Islamic State filling the vacuum. Trump has not indicated how he would change Syria policy this time. But he has shown no reluctance in the past to negotiate with foreign adversaries on the US blacklist, from Afghanistan's Taliban to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said there was no legal restriction on US contact with designated terrorists, although he indicated there was no direct dialogue with HTS. Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Syria could face "devastating economic and humanitarian consequences" unless the United States reconsiders the terrorist designation of HTS, which impedes aid groups. "That said," she said, "if there isn't sort of an established framework for negotiations and good behavior now, before that designation is lifted, that could potentially also be a major mistake down the line for Syria's future." sct/sms
What Bills Fans Should Be Thankful for This Year
随着中国继续在世界范围内领先于非物质文化遗产项目的数量,中国成为了保护和促进文化多样性和遗产保护重要性的典范。将春节列为联合国非物质文化遗产名录进一步突显了中国丰富的文化遗产及其分享给世界的承诺。通过保护和推广非物质文化遗产,中国不仅为后代保留传统,还为全球文化对话和相互理解做出了贡献。The giant ants, identified as a species of Megalomyrmex, are known for their aggressive behavior and large size, making them a potential threat to local ecosystems and agricultural crops. It is believed that these ants were smuggled into the country with the intention of being released into the wild, posing a significant risk to the delicate balance of the environment.
However, on the other hand, critics of this move point out the invasion of privacy and personal boundaries that come with publicizing someone's private photo album. Regardless of political differences or ideological beliefs, everyone is entitled to a certain level of privacy when it comes to personal moments and family affairs. By exposing Assad's private photos, the opposition risks stooping to the same level of invasion and disrespect they claim to be fighting against.Marvell Introduces 1.6 Tbps LPO Chipset to Enable Optical Short-reach, Scale-up Compute Fabric Interconnects
In a move to boost the real estate market and make housing more affordable for the general public, the government of Henan Province in China is considering exempting the land value tax on the sale of ordinary residential properties. This proposal has garnered significant attention and feedback from various stakeholders, including developers, homebuyers, and experts in the real estate industry.Police Report: Hidden Camera Found in Kindergarten Bathroom, Suspect in Custody
IRVING, Texas , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) voted today to maintain the quarterly dividend of one dollar and forty-one cents ($1.41) per share of common stock, payable Feb. 20, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 21, 2025 .
Assad exit puts US at perilous crossroads in SyriaThe arrest of the murderer has shed light on the motive behind the fatal attack. It was revealed that the suspect had a longstanding feud with the CEO over business dealings, leading to a violent confrontation that ultimately resulted in the CEO's untimely death. The revelation of the motive has provided a clearer picture of the events leading up to the murder and has brought some measure of closure to the grieving family and colleagues of the deceased.
The incident at the bath center in Zhengzhou serves as a wake-up call for both authorities and businesses to prioritize safety and take proactive steps to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. By working together to uphold rigorous safety standards and protocols, we can create a safer and healthier environment for all individuals in our communities.
The story of the missing female master's graduate and her two children serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the unbreakable bond of family. It is a testament to the enduring power of love and hope, and a testament to the transformative power of forgiveness and reconciliation.Insurer Direct Line, a major employer in Glasgow, has rejected a £3.3 billion takeover bid approach from sector stablemate Aviva, it has emerged tonight. Aviva revealed after the stock market closed that it had made a bid approach to Direct Line. The regulatory news service announcement from Aviva was swiftly followed by one from Direct Line, which described the takeover approach as “highly opportunistic” and declared that it “substantially undervalued” the business . Aviva said: “In response to press speculation, Aviva announces that on 19 November 2024, it submitted a non-binding proposal to the board of Direct Line Insurance Group plc regarding a possible offer to acquire 100% of Direct Line. “Given Aviva's desire to reach a swift conclusion and to minimise distraction for both companies , Aviva presented a highly attractive proposal with high execution certainty, which also met Aviva's strict financial criteria for acquisitions. Aviva communicated to Direct Line that it believed this proposal represented a highly compelling offer and that it was designed to encourage prompt engagement to commence the work needed to reach an offer announcement under Rule 2.7 of the Code (City Code on Takeovers and Mergers) as soon as possible.” It added that, under the terms of this proposal, Direct Line shareholders would be entitled to receive 112.5 pence per Direct Line share in cash, funded through Aviva's internally available cash resources, and 0.282 new Aviva shares per Direct Line share. Aviva noted this represents a premium of 55.9% to the one-month, volume-weighted average Direct Line share price to November 27. It said: “Aviva believes that an acquisition of Direct Line would be consistent with its strategy to accelerate growth in its UK businesses and further pivot the group towards capital-light business lines. “The acquisition would expand Aviva's presence in the attractive UK personal lines market, building on its existing strength, and creating a more efficient platform from which to serve existing and new customers. In addition, the acquisition would allow Direct Line customers to benefit from Aviva's breadth, scale and financial strength.” Direct Line said: “The board considered the proposal with its advisers and concluded that it was highly opportunistic and substantially undervalued the company.” It added: “The board has considerable conviction in the capabilities of our newly established leadership team and stands firmly behind their delivery of our strategy. Under this strategy, the company continues to make early progress towards our financial targets, and expects to deliver attractive growth in profitability, capital generation and shareholder returns. “As such, the board considered the proposal to not reflect the standalone value that can be delivered by the company, and hence considered the possible offer highly opportunistic in nature. Accordingly, the board unanimously rejected the proposal on 26 November 2024.”San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy left the practice field soon after Thursday's session began. Purdy is dealing with a right shoulder injury that forced him to leave after throwing at the start of practice. There was no Nick Bosa, Trent Williams or Brock Purdy at the start of practice. Purdy, who is dealing with a right shoulder injury, was throwing at the very start of the session but left the field soon thereafter. More News: NFL Mock Draft Has the Dallas Cowboys Making a Desperate Reach for a Position of Need Purdy didn't throw a pass through the first four periods of practice on Wednesday but did do warmups and handoffs. The latest update indicates the 49ers could very well start backup Brandon Allen for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan heaped high praise for Purdy following last week's loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Purdy has been a consistent force for the offense, despite players surrounding the quarterback failing to meet expectations. "It's hard to make a lot of progress the way he played last year," Shanahan said. "It's hard to make a lot of progress after the seven games he played in his first year. I think Brock's playing at the exact same level. It's different circumstances around him. Our team hasn't been quite as good through this. That's why we're 5-5. A couple of plays here and there and I think we're looking at this totally differently. I bet these next seven games come down to the fourth quarter. We either get it done or we don't." Nick Bosa and Trent Williams were also not at practice during the portion that's open to the media. Bosa told the media Wednesday that his oblique injury is making progress, but didn't reveal his status for Sunday. "It gets better every day," Bosa said. "Definitely a little early to call it either way." Williams is dealing with an ankle injury that he sustained ahead of the divisional matchup Seahawks. It is important to note that Shanahan said both Bosa and Williams will be a game-time decision. The 49ers are in a tough situation as the team hopes to keep their playoff hopes alive in the coming weeks. San Francisco may be short three key starters in Week 12, which certainly won't help the 49ers in getting back in the win column. San Francisco's fate in 2024 remains up to whether the team can put together four quality quarters of football, which thus far the 49ers have failed to do. The 49ers are currently last in the NFC West because San Francisco dropped three games to each of their opponents in the division. If the 49ers are without their quarterback and other starters like Williams and Bosa for their next game, San Francisco's playoff hopes will be even slimmer than before. For more on the NFL , head to Newsweek Sports .