President Joe Biden says he weakened Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, laying the groundwork for Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims his decision to target Hezbollah was key to the Syrian leader’s downfall.
The collapse of the Syrian regime has sparked debate over who deserves credit for the ouster. President Biden argues that his administration worked tirelessly to weaken Syria’s main backers, including Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He believes this weakening made it impossible for Assad’s allies to come to his aid when he needed rescue.
In contrast, Netanyahu says Israel’s attack on Hezbollah was instrumental in bringing about Assad’s demise. The Israeli defense minister stated that military operations have been targeting strategic capabilities posing a risk to the region.
The US has not condoned or criticized Israel’s actions, but instead praised the restraint shown by Russia and Iran. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that if these countries had intervened, it would have hindered their ability to aid Syria.
Netanyahu asserts that without his decision to target Hezbollah, Assad would still be in power. However, this raises questions about how the US approach will change under President-elect Donald Trump. Despite posting on social media that the US should avoid involvement in Syria, Trump has shown a willingness to engage in counter-terrorism efforts.
Experts note that Trump’s stance presents an opportunity for the US to weaken Iran and build a pro-Western coalition, but his administration must persuade him to take this path.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/us/politics/al-assad-ouster-us-israel.html