US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells lawmakers that Syria’s fragile transitional government is on the verge of collapse, potentially plunging the country into a full-scale civil war and territorial split.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday warned that Syria may “weeks” away from a civil war.
Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio explained that “given the challenges” that the new Syrian government is facing, they are “maybe weeks, not many months, away from potential collapse, and a full scale civil war of epic proportions” which could lead to “basically the country splitting up.”
He added, “The bad news is that [Syria’s] transitional authority figures, they didn’t pass their background check.”
If the US had not engaged with Syria, he claimed, “it was guaranteed to not work out.”
Last week, In a landmark shift in American foreign policy, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would lift sanctions on Syria.
He explained, “Syria, they’ve had their share of travesty, war, killing in many years. That’s why my administration has already taken the first steps toward restoring normal relations between the United States and Syria for the first time in more than a decade.”
“The sanctions were brutal and crippling and served as an important — really an important function — nevertheless, at the time. But now it’s their time to shine. So, I say, ‘Good luck, Syria.’ Show us something very special.”
He added, “We hope they will succeed in stabilizing the country in keeping peace.”
