Assad Letting Go of Syrian Unity

Assad Letting Go of Syrian Unity

August 4, 2015 Rashad al-Kattan | http://carnegieendowment.org/sada/2015/08/04/assad-letting-go-of-syrian-unity/ieaa?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRoguKzMZKXonjHpfsX57eUuUaeg38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YYISst0aPyQAgobGp5I5FEIQ7XYTLB2t60MWA%3D%3D

 Assad may be relinquishing authority over certain parts of Syria he is unable to hold or recapture, but the war is sure to drag on for some time.

Last year, several military successes tilted the political and military balance toward the Syrian regime. These included the recapture of substantial territories in the Damascus countryside between April and September, northern Hama in October, and several strategic areas along the Lebanese border—including Yabroud—in March. The Assad regime’s gains had prompted some U.S. and European policymakers to call for a partnership with Damascus—which they came to view as the strongest of the warring groups. But the recent gains made by rebel groups have proven how shortsighted proponents of regime rehabilitation were.