© AFP 2016/ JOE KLAMA
Josh Rogin, Bloomberg: Opposition Leader: U.S. Diplomacy Costs Syrian Lives
In the days since the collapse of the Syria peace talks championed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the humanitarian catastrophe in northern Syria has grown, tens of thousands of new refugees were created, and the Russian- and Iranian-backed killing of civilians has increased. These are all consequences of the flawed U.S. strategy, according to the lead negotiator for the Syrian opposition.
Riyad Hijab was prime minister of Syria in 2012 under the dictator Bashar al-Assad; he became the highest-ranking defector from the regime when he switched sides and joined the rebels. He is now the leader of the High Negotiating Committee that represented the Syrian opposition at last week’s meetings in Geneva, which collapsed after two days. Kerry had pressured the Syrian opposition leaders to attend, even warning they could lose their U.S. funding if they boycotted. Hijab says that Kerry’s approach -- to try to persuade Assad and Russia to negotiate while the offensive continues -- has actually made things much worse.
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WNU Editor: I have always believed that the cornerstone of President Obama's policy on Syria was to "stay-out" and or minimize U.S. involvement in Syria. There is (and has been) little if any U.S. public or political appetite to become directly involved in the conflict .... so the alternative has been diplomacy and working with allies. Unfortunately .... this policy has failed .... and as bad as the Syrian war has been for 5 years, it is definitely getting worst with now regional and global implications.... Factions Shift as Civilians Die in Syrian War (VOA). My prediction .... there will be no change in U.S. policy .... the White House is "kicking this can" to the next administration.
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