As the crisis in Syria deepens and the international community searches for pressure points to convince President Bashar al-Asad to step aside, a new book by Washington Institute Next Generation fellow Andrew J. Tabler provides a rare glimpse into the mindset of the Syrian regime and a timely, first-person account of how the present impasse in U.S.-Syrian relations arose.
Tabler, an American journalist and author of "In the Lion's Den: An Eyewitness Account of Washington's Battle with Syria" (Lawrence Hill Books, an imprint of Chicago Review Press, September 2011), lived in Damascus from 2001 to 2008. As cofounder and former editor-in-chief of "Syria Today" (Syria's first English-language magazine), Tabler was on the ground for key events including former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri's 2005 murder, Asad's defiant response to the allegations of Syria's involvement, and the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. As he seamlessly weaves his own experiences with political analysis, Tabler explores U.S. foreign policy with Syria and what continues to go wrong. "In the Lion's Den" includes an epilogue updated to reflect the current turmoil in Syria and his recommendations for the way forward.
As Tabler expounds on the history of Syria, its relations with the United States, and its economic and social problems, he provides a background for the details of the confrontation between the United States and Syria as it appeared from his desk at "Syria Today." Touching on Asad's outreach to Iran, Hizballah, and Sunni Muslims and their institutions in Syria, Tabler reveals Asad's skill in utilizing the sectarian chaos in U.S.-occupied Iraq, the civilian deaths of the 2006 Lebanon war, and the 2008 assassination in Damascus of Hizballah operative Imad Mughniyah -- likely the world's most wanted terrorist prior to September 11, 2001.
Tabler channels his behind-the-scenes experiences and professional expertise to portray the maneuverings and underpinnings of one of America's most dramatic adversaries.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew J. Tabler is the Next Generation fellow in The Washington Institute's Program on Arab Politics and one of the most sought-after voices on contemporary Syria. A journalist and editor, he achieved unparalleled access to Bashar al-Asad's Syria during seven years of residence in Damascus. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune, Newsweek, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs. His opinion has been regularly sought by CNN, NBC, PBS and NPR. Full bio: http://bit.ly/twi-Tabler
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