Episode 453: Syria's New Chapter—Sanctions, Strategy, Strategic Risk

Today, Les, Martha, Jeffrey, and Matt break down major developments in Syria as President Trump meets with new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa—former leader of the extremist group HTS—and announces the suspension of U.S. sanctions. The Trump administration’s evolving, more direct approach to foreign policy, on display throughout his Middle East trip, raises new questions about oversight, regional alliances, and long-term strategy.Can the U.S. trust this new Syrian leadership? Could loosening sanctions and engaging Gulf partners offer a rare opportunity to stabilize Syria, disrupt Iran’s regional ambitions, and counter the influence of Russia and extremist actors? With U.S. troops staying in place and a shifting diplomatic playbook, is this a strategic pivot that could finally reshape the balance of power in the region?Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.Follow our experts on Twitter: @lestermunson@WMattHayden@marthamillerdcLike what we're doing here?  Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.  And don't forget to follow @masonnatsec on Twitter!We are also on YouTube, and watch today's episode here: https://youtu.be/mGi6DTq2P88 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.