Assad's Comeback: Implications for Syria's Future

Syrian President Bashar Assad was welcomed back into the Arab League after being expelled in 2011 for his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The move was led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but the Biden administration has condemned it, vowing to continue its policy of keeping Syria an international pariah. More than 14 million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes due to the country's decade-long civil war. The push for re-engagement with the Syrian regime has been described as conditional by Arab governments, but there are no mechanisms in place to ensure Syria follows through. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to prohibit any federal government department or agency from recognizing or normalizing ties with the Assad regime.