The success of President Donald Trump in promoting peace and prosperity in the Middle East, is being implemented by Ambassador Tom Barrack, as I witnessed firsthand last week joining him and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The administration is seizing a historic strategic opportunity in Syria and Lebanon, boxing out Russia, China, and Iran, and ending endless wars while advancing U.S. interests and regional security.
The fall of the Assad regime in Syria last December was nothing short of a Berlin Wall moment for the Middle East. For decades, Assad served as Iran’s most important partner, enabling Hezbollah’s destabilization of Lebanon and fueling endless conflict. Today, Iran has no presence in Syria, and Damascus has severed diplomatic ties with Tehran altogether. With Hezbollah’s weapons pipeline cut off, Lebanon now faces a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for peace and stability.
President Trump has taken advantage of this opportunity through a strategic masterstroke by unconditionally lifting sanctions and export controls; he transformed a 50-year enemy of the United States into a partner without firing a shot or deploying additional troops. This move not only gives Syria a chance at recovery but also helps facilitate the voluntary return of millions of Syrian refugees. Already, one million Syrians have gone back, a development with profound consequences for both Europe and the United States. Lifting sanctions and export controls helps our economy by ensuring that American companies, not Russia or China, lead the reconstruction effort.
I am grateful to support this effort by leading bipartisan bicameral legislation supported by the Trump administration along with Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Sen. Shaheen and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to completely lift the Caesar Act, a law which targeted the former Assad regime yet now ties President Trump’s hands by mandating sanctions on Syria unless waived by the president every 180 days. It’s hard to find a business that will invest long term in the country with the continual risk that sanctions would be reapplied.
Rather than the failed ideas of the past whose ideological nation-building schemes bogged Americans down in the Middle East with no plans, President Trump is dealing with the Middle East realistically and pragmatically. President Trump and Ambassador Barrack’s efforts to keep Syria united are integral to U.S. national security. Dividing Syria would only mean renewed wars, the return of ISIS, and an opening for Iran’s resurgence. A stable and united Syria in which all communities are represented is the only viable option for peace and regional stability. As Ambassador Barrack has rightly said, this is the only realistic option. There is no Plan B.
Together with Ambassador Barrack and Sen. Shaheen, I heard directly from Syrian religious leaders of every faith tradition and denomination at a monastery outside Damascus, including the Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Their message was clear and unified: they do not want a divided or federalized Syria, they do not want sanctions, and they want a state which enshrines religious freedoms and represents all of its citizens. Rather than imposing a system of government through the barrel of a gun, President Trump is working to promote peace by encouraging dialogue and economic development amongst Syrians who themselves can come up with their own way forward in building a state to represent all Syrians.
In meetings with Syria’s President Ahmad al-Shaaa, I was grateful to support Ambassador Barrack’s efforts underscoring the importance of supporting a united Syrian state that represents all Syrians. I am grateful to have also joined Sen. Shaheen in meeting with Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Mazloum Abdi to encourage his efforts to negotiate and integrate under one unified Syrian government in Damascus. The way forward will not be easy or perfect, but Ambassador Barrack’s peace efforts to promote a united Syria may eventually lead to a situation whereby U.S. troops in Syria can finally return home.
A unified and stable Syria also advances the security of our ally Israel. Unfortunately, recent Israeli military operations in Syria risk undermining Syria’s fragile stability, opening the door for ISIS and Iran to return. Worse, Russia is already exploiting these tensions, offering to “mediate” and even deploy border guards. This is a vital opportunity to push Russia out of Syria, not let it re-entrench.
Through the work of the President’s Special Envoy for Syria, Ambassador Barrack, a once-unthinkable and historic meeting occurred directly between the Syrian and Israel governments just this month. The Syrians are prepared to move forward with Israel to advance peace. It is unclear how long the door to this opportunity will remain open. Israel should seize the moment and immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from its buffer zone in Syria so the progress made by Syrians and Ambassador Barrack can continue.
Events in Syria directly affect the situation in Lebanon next door. President Trump and Ambassador Barrack are advancing a bold vision for Lebanon. They are thinking outside of the box where previous efforts have failed by offering incentives and a path forward for Hezbollah’s disarmament. I was grateful to join Sen. Shaheen and Ambassador Barrack in Lebanon to support the administration’s efforts to offer Lebanon tremendous economic prosperity in exchange for fulfilling its commitment to disarm Hezbollah by year’s end. In meetings with Lebanon’s president, prime minister, speaker of parliament, and military leaders, we pressed this plan forward. If successful, it will remove Hezbollah’s stranglehold on Lebanon’s future and open the door to long term peace and prosperity.
President Trump and Ambassador Barrack’s efforts in Syria and Lebanon have the potential to turn the tide, utilizing a new approach of smart out of the box of economic development, diplomacy, and peacemaking rather than endless wars. This is not only good for the region; it is good for America, Israel, and the world.
Joe Wilson is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving South Carolina’s 2nd District.
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