NEW YORK: The United States is no longer making removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power a focus of its policy in the war-torn country, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday, in a departure from the Obama administration's initial stance on Assad's fate. “And when we’re looking at this, it’s about changing up priorities and our priority is no longer to sit and focus on getting Assad out.”

Shortly before Haley briefed a small group of journalists, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent a similar signal at a news conference in Turkey. In a stark contrast to statements from the Barack Obama administration, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday that the future of the Bashar al-Assad regime “will be decided by the Syrian people.”

Tillerson made the remarks at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in response to a reporter’s question about Assad. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Under Barack Obama’s administration, the US made the departure of Assad a key policy aim, but new US President Donald Trump has put the accent firmly on defeating IS. Our priority is to really look at how do we get things done, who do we need to work with to really make a difference for the people in Syria.” She added, “We can’t necessarily focus on Assad the way that the previous administration did.”

The U.S. outwardly acknowledging that ousting Assad isn’t on the to-do list is a blow to the moderate rebels, and something of a win for Russia, which took the risk and went all-in on Assad — which, given everything Russia-related right now, feels huge. However, Cavusoglu said Ankara was still concerned about the YPG, warning: “It is not good or realistic to work with a terror group while fighting another terror group.”

Numerous diplomatic efforts have failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed more than 320,000 people and displaced millions since it erupted in March 2011.
United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he thinks the longer term status of president Bashar al-Assad is to be "decided by the Syrian people". This appears as a policy shift, since under president Barack Obama’s administration, the United States made the departure of Assad a key policy aim.