The Hill
ASP’s Matt Freear Discusses Syrian Stabilization
ASP’s Adjunct Fellow, Matt Freear, recently published an article in The Hill’s Congress Blog on Foreign Policy titled, Looking Over the Horizon: How to Better Build Stability, This Time in Syria.
Freear considers the U.S.’s involvement in securing the future of Syria, highlighting the importance of stabilization and local politics. Freear states,
“Stabilization is an approach that integrates the combined weight of diplomatic, security and developmental capacities under unified direction to grow the conditions for stability. It neither contradicts nor prejudges any peace process.”
Given that, “Peace cannot be imposed from the outside, and indeed foreign interventions can exacerbate and perpetuate factional conflict,” Freear suggests a different strategy for U.S. peacekeeping. He emphasizes the need for the U.S. to work within the regional context:
“That means working with the most local level of politics, rather than any predatory and distant government. Identifying local actors, and talking about local areas of concern amidst their culture creates an alternative to the entrenched violence generated by terrorism and inter-state competition.”
As the U.S. continues to be a leader on the world stage,
“The narrative of stabilization offers a way to talk about peace, not conflict, and to create an alliance of those who can apply coercion, funds and influence in the direction of stability.”
For the entire article, click here.
For more information on Syria’s future, click here for ASP’s White Paper: Syrian Stabilization and Reconstruction.
