What concern Syria in the US national security strategy?
The new US National Security Strategy has placed Syria in a prominent position in Washington’s vision for the future of the Middle East, speaking for the first time in years about the country’s potential for stability and its return as an influential regional player.
Syria remains a challenge, but it could become a positive element in the region with international support that includes the United States, Arab states, Türkiye, and Israel, the document said.
The strategy considered Iran to be the most influential party in the Syrian issue, pointing to the decline of its influence as a result of Israeli strikes and US pressure on its nuclear program.
Washington believes that this Iranian weakness may open the door to a reordering of the regional scene, which may reflect on Syria’s stability and reintegration into its surroundings.
The strategy made it clear that the United States is moving to reduce its direct military involvement in the Middle East, along with its transformation into an energy-exporting country, which pushes it to assign its allies – especially Türkiye, the Gulf states, and Israel – to play greater security roles, including dealing with the Syrian issue.
The document linked the future of the region to the expansion of the Abraham Accords, considering that Syria may be one of the countries that indirectly benefit from opening up to Arab-Israeli relations and normalization.
In summary, Syria is no longer included in US policy as an independent issue, but as part of three main directions:
- Reducing the Iranian influence in the region.
- Strengthening regional consensus.
- Distribute the security burden to allies instead of direct US involvement.
The full US national security strategy document can be downloaded from the link here.
