Blinken says the US wants Syria to succeed

Six days since the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government and already things are moving fast. Anbtony Blinken, the US secretary of state for just one more month, has been busy meeting everyone of influence in the Middle East ans has come up with some golden principles in return for Washington giving hlep to the rebel force that took over Damascus on December 8. Remember, the rebels belong to an organisation that used to be aligned with al-Qaeda, so it's a big step for the US to even think of being nice to the new rulers. But this is Realpolitik. You deal with whoever is in charge in the hope of having some positive influence. Blinken revealed in a press conference that the US had now had direct talks with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. That can only mean one thing. A CIA envoy will have been sent to Damascus to meet Jolani and the transitional prime minister he has appointed. It might even be Bill Burns, the CIA director, because he has huge experience of the Middle East and is widely respected in the region. What a great photo that would be, the 42-year-old rebel leader next to the top CIA spy. Whether it was Burns or some other CIA figure, this is all highly encouraging. It means Jolani is prepared to do business with or at least to listen to Washington. He will now know Blinken's principles which include respecting all minorities and faiths and preventing Syria from becoming a platform for terrorists. There is every reason to hope that Syria will not disintegrate into another civil war, but it's early days. Blinken says the US wants Syria to succeed for the sake of the people. That's a good start.