White House Accepts ‘Political Reality’ of Assad’s Grip on Power in Syria
During the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump said that he while he did not like Mr. Assad, he was glad the Syrian leader was "killing ISIS."
Since taking office, however, Mr. Trump has shied away from forging a military alliance in Syria with Russia, let alone with Mr. Assad.
By MICHAEL R. GORDONMARCH 31, 2017
WASHINGTON — President Trump has abandoned the goal of pressing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to leave power, marking a sharp departure from the Middle East policy
that guided the Obama administration for more than five years, the White House said on Friday.
And while the Obama administration was not prepared to use airpower to protect the Syrian opposition, Russia began
to send its warplanes to Syria in September 2015 to shore up the Assad government and help it reclaim lost ground.
Obama said that We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way,
Sean Spicer said that With respect to Assad, there is a political reality that we have to accept,
