Inheriting Syria: Bashar's Trial by Fire

Syria has long presented a difficult problem for American policymakers. Actively supportive of groups such as Hezbollah, it has occupied Lebanon for more than 20 years. Damascus remains intransigent on Israels complete withdrawal from the disputed Golan Heights as the sine qua non for peace with that state. It is often mentioned in the same breath as members of the infamous axis of evil. Syria occupies an important strategic position in the Middle Eastone made even more significant as America considers long-term involvement in the reconstruction of Iraq. As the policy challenges posed by Syrias problematic behavior have grown more pressing in the recent security environment, the United States has had difficulty formulating a coherent and effective policy toward Damascus. The death of long-time dictator Hafiz al Assad has forced renewed debate on its place in the region. The transition from Assad to his son Bashar has thrown Western consensus on how to deal with the Syrian leadership further into doubt. Inheriting Syria fills this void with a detailed analytic portrait of the Syrian regime under Bashars leadership. It draws implications for U.S. policy, offering a bold new strategy for achieving American objectives, largely via a strategy of coordinated engagement employing both sticks and carrots. This strategy would be independent of the Arab-Israeli peace process, thus a historical departure for the United States. The authors long service in the foreign policy establishment has uniquely positioned him to provide valuable insights into this mysterious yet important country. This book will be of high interest to those concerned about the Middle East, the war on terror, and the future ofAmerican foreign policy. Written for a general audience as well as the policymaking and academic communities, Inheriting Syria is an important resource for all who seek deeper understanding of this enigmatic nation and its leadership.

Currently at the Brookings Institute stage of a revolving door that also swings through the US National Security Council, the State Department, and the Central Intelligence Agency, Leverett seeks to reduce the level of analytic uncertainty about Syrian politics and policy, to develop an actionable portrait of the country under president Bashar al-Asad--who succeeded his father without an intervening ruler--and to draw the implications of that portrait for US policy.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

This analytic portrait of the Syrian regime under Bashar's leadership draws implications for U.S. policy, offering a bold new strategy for achieving American objectives largely independent of the Arab-Israeli peace process--a historical departure for the U.S.