Commentary
Europe isn’t as weak in the new geopolitics of power as many would believe. But to leverage its assets and claim a sphere of influence, Brussels must stop undercutting itself.
Dimitar Bechev
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Are Syrian Groups Turning Against the U.S.?
The U.S.-led air strikes threaten to alienate more moderate groups in Syria.
Published on Sep 30, 2014
Source: Al Jazeera Inside Story
In the early days of Syria’s civil war, opposition activists and fighters pleaded with the United States to strike the Syrian government. It has now been a week since a U.S..-led coalition began bombing Syria. But they are targeting the Islamic State, not Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Many opposition groups now fear U.S. President Barack Obama is no longer committed to seeing President Bashar al-Assad leave power. And increasingly, armed groups in Syria view the air strikes as against their interests, with some Syrian rebels even vowing to fight Western nations. Will the continuing campaign against ISIL alienate fighters who were previously seeking U.S. backing?
This interview was originally broadcasted on Al Jazeera Inside Story.
About the Authors
Lina Khatib
Former Director, Middle East Center
Khatib was director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Previously, she was the co-founding head of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law.
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Lawrence Korb
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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