U.S.-Syrian relations | Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs

Menu

The Obama Administration Reaches Out to Syria: Implications for Israel

March 18, 2009 | David Schenker

In early March, two senior U.S. officials traveled to Damascus for the highest-level bilateral meeting in years, part of the new administration’s policy of “engagement.” Based on Syria’s track record, there is little reason to be optimistic that the Obama administration will succeed where others have failed. Damascus today remains a brutal dictatorship, which derives its regional influence almost exclusively through its support for terrorism in neighboring states.