Tag: United States

Post Election, Obama Gambles on Syrian Rebels

Quoted in The Daily Beast:

Many in the wider opposition have remained skeptical that the SNC is willing to share its leadership role. “The Brotherhood and their allies will not stand for something like this, something aimed so clearly at downplaying their role,” says longtime Syrian activist Ammar Abdulhamid. “In fact, the recent elections in the SNC show that they are baring their teeth by allowing more overt Islamist presence and control.”

“The U.S. pushed for Seif’s plan,” he adds. “But if it fails, it will give [America] more reason to adhere to a policy of minimal involvement.”

 

U.S. Seeks a New Opposition in Syria

Quoted in TIME.com

Indeed, many feel that Clinton’s reorganization is too little too late. “The opposition Secretary Clinton is trying to unify has become largely irrelevant, even infusing it with elements from inside may not be sufficient,” says Ammar Abdulhamid, a Syrian exile who is active in the opposition in Washington. “Syria’s current fragmentation necessitates working with local groups, that is, the rebels and whatever political forces are coalescing around them.”

In announcing it the way she did, Clinton also alienated one of the few friends the U.S. has amongst the Syrian opposition, the SNC, which announced it would hold its own meeting just prior to the Doha gathering as a snub to the U.S. “The SNC will fight for its survival, many opportunists will fight for inclusion, seeing a window in Clinton’s announcement,” Abdulhamid says. “It’s going to be a free for all and a freakshow in Doha. The U.S. should have worked on this quietly.”

 

Analysts: Romney knowledgeable, less hawkish at presidential debate

Quoted in the Washington Times

On Syria, close observers felt neither candidate presented a serious plan toward resolving the bloody civil war that threatens to destabilize the entire Middle East.

“In Obama’s case, this is quite disheartening because he’s been following the situation and been involved in it from the beginning,” said Ammar Abdulhamid, a fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “It’s as if he’s putting together a eulogy rather than a policy.”

While Mr. Abdulhamid credited Mr. Romney with doing “some good posturing” on Syria policy, he added that it was “not clear if Romney is going to bring a coherent policy other than saying we’ll throw some weapons at the problem and hopefully it will solve itself.”