America can best help Syria by getting out: Former US ambassador

By Dilara Karatas

Former US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford argued Wednesday that the US should withdraw military forces from Syria to better help the region.

"Partnering with the new transitional government in Damascus would let the US leave Syria on its own terms," he said in an article, "America Can Best Help Syria By Getting Out," in Foreign Affairs magazine.

Ford argued that the US presence in Syria is increasingly untenable, saying: "US forces in Syria are vulnerable to attack, lack a clear mission, and are faced with no clear objectives."

He highlighted that despite US support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against Daesh/ISIS, the terror group remains active in the region. He contends that the situation could improve if the US were to shift its approach.

“With the demise of the Assad regime, however, the US can choose to work with a likely more influential and effective partner in the battle against the remnants of ISIS: the new Syrian government in Damascus,” Ford wrote.

Adding that Washington's message to the SDF should be clear, Ford said the fall of the regime signals the need for tough compromises on future security and administrative arrangements in the territories controlled by the SDF, including the group's gradual dissolution.

The PKK/YPG terror organization operates under the name of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is led by the YPG -- the Syrian branch of the PKK.

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

The former US envoy to Syria, also argued that Washington must ease sanctions on Syria to help stabilize the country and combat ISIS effectively.

Ford said public activism, supported by the rule of law and the protection of political and personal freedoms, is the only path for Syria to build a genuine democracy.

While the process will be slow and complex, it is ultimately up to the Syrians to resolve, he said.

However, he emphasizes that "it should not require an American hand on the wheel—or American boots on the ground."

Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

On Jan. 29, the Syrian administration announced the appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa as president during the transitional phase. The decision also included the dissolution of armed factions, security agencies that existed under the regime, the parliament, the Baath Party and the annulment of the previous constitution.