Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara’a, leader of the new transitional government in Damascus, is set to make a historic visit to Washington to meet with President Donald Trump on Monday. The state visit is a significant moment in the historically difficult relations between the two countries, marking a major shift from Washington’s adversarial relationship with former dictator Bashar al-Assad. While closer ties are welcome, the United States should avoid deeper military involvement in the conflict-scarred country, recognizing that economic and diplomatic tools are sufficient to achieve US interests in Syria, including the country’s successful transition to a functional state.
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