Blinken’s Final Middle East Mission: Navigating Post-Assad Syria and Regional Stability

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken completed a significant Middle East tour, perhaps his final as America's top diplomat, with the goal of stabilizing Syria following President Bashar Assad's abrupt exit. Blinken's mission centered on bringing regional and international partners together to form a post-Assad Syria, as well as addressing broader concerns as the Biden administration's term came to an end.

Blinken met with officials from Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, and other countries in Aqaba, Jordan, to promote a common vision for Syria's future. He obtained agreements from 12 Arab League foreign ministers, Turkish authorities, and the European Union to back a Syrian administration that protects minority and women's rights, provides humanitarian relief, and stops terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) from regaining ground.

"Syria's stability is critical to regional and global security," Blinken stated. "We cannot afford to let this moment of instability become an opportunity for ISIS to regroup."

Following Assad's fall, the US targeted 75 IS sites in Syria, hoping to hinder the group's rise. Furthermore, despite Turkey's objections, the US continues to rely on Kurdish allies to manage IS detainees and ensure security.

With President-elect Donald Trump about to take office, confusion surrounds his Middle East plans. Trump's previous pledges to withdraw US military from Syria contradict his administration's acknowledgement of IS concerns, making regional actors leery of future American commitments.

The Biden administration also worked to locate Austin Tice, a journalist imprisoned in Syria for more than a decade, and just obtained the release of Travis Timmerman, an American jailed in Assad's prison system.

Blinken's travel highlights the challenges and urgency of preserving US influence in a turbulent Middle East as Washington's political shift takes place.

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