Assad's rehabilitation and the changing Middle East.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made a comeback at the Arab League meeting, nearly 12 years after being shunned by the international community over his brutal suppression of an uprising that sought to unseat him. During his speech, Assad presented himself as an elder statesman, lecturing his neighbors about the need to take advantage of changes in global politics. Assad talked about a new world order that called for a rearranging of international affairs without “Western interference.” The move is seen as a victory for the former pariah, as both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been at the forefront of Syria’s regional rehabilitation even as the regime remains under heavy American sanctions.