The fall of the house of Assad in Syria has changed the face of the Middle East. It dealt a devastating blow to Bashar al Assad’s two long time benefactors – Iran and Russia — but it also opened the possibility for democratic development in what had been a brutal police state. The regime had been in place for more than 50 years, but it crumbled almost without a fight in the 11-day offensive.

What role did the United States play in the drama?

BCFA president Roy Gutman reported the war as a foreign correspondent from 2012 to 2018 for McClatchy Newspapers, the Daily Beast and other news. outlets. He argues that Assad’s fall and Iran’s expulsion could have happened years earlier had Washington supported the moderate Syrian opposition that stated a national uprising in 2011 instead of abandoning it in 2015.

And what are the implications for future U.S. policy in the greater Middle East? Roy will give us his take at a special short-notice Zoom Webinar on Wednesday Dec 18. Robert Ruby, former foreign editor of the Baltimore Sun, a former Middle East correspondent and a BCFA Trustee, will moderate.

Please join us for this Zoom-only presentation. As always, we’ll welcome your questions.

Contact programs@bcfausa.org for more information on how to register.