Another Sign of U.S.-Syrian Rapprochement

The re-opening of the American Language Center in Damascus is being seen as another indication of the growing rapprochement between the United States and Syria. The facility was one of two ordered closed by Syrian authorities after the U.S. penetrated Syrian territory to conduct a raid on what the Americans claimed were Al-Qa’ida operatives, including a senior member of the terrorist organization. Damascus claimed civilians were targeted. The raid, however, preceded the election of Barack Obama and the numerous efforts by the Obama administration to reach out to the Syrians. Analysts at The Media Line suggest that permission to re-open the facility is apparently pay-back for the visit to Syria of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a close associate of Obama; and the subsequent official visit of a senior State Department official and member of the National Security staff. The analysts suggest that it will not come as a surprise when the return of an American ambassador is announced. There has not been one since 2005 when Damascus was accused of complicity in the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri.