How Russia Can Ease Assad Out
By negotiating Assad's exit from Syria, Moscow could help to end the violence and bloodshed, and "reset" world perceptions of Russia, writes Wilson Center President Jane Harman in The Washington Post.
By negotiating Assad's exit from Syria, Moscow could help to end the violence and bloodshed, and "reset" world perceptions of Russia, writes Wilson Center President Jane Harman in The Washington Post.
Russia, which has offered political and military support to the Assad regime, has the best chance to broker a deal that would have a real impact. (Remember that thousands of cheering Syrians, waving Russian flags, welcomed Lavrov to Damascus in early February.) And the window to act is closing. Any day now, the United Nations may indict Assad for crimes against humanity.
About the Author
Jane Harman
Jane Harman, Distinguished Fellow and President Emerita, Wilson Center, is an internationally recognized authority on U.S. and global security issues, foreign relations and lawmaking. A native of Los Angeles and a public-school graduate, she went on to become a nine-term member of Congress, serving decades on the major security committees in the House of Representatives. Drawing upon a career that has included service as President Carter’s Secretary of the Cabinet and hundreds of diplomatic missions to foreign countries, Harman holds posts on nearly a dozen governmental and non-governmental advisory boards and commissions.
Read MoreMiddle East Program
The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform U.S. foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Read more