Cook Criticizes WaPo Article on U.S. Democracy Promotion in Syria

Steven Cook, of the Council on Foreign Relations, heavily criticized Monday’s Washington Post article on U.S. funding to Syrian opposition figures and groups.  He says that the tone of the article makes U.S. intentions and actions regarding democracy promotion sound “sinister” despite USAID and State Department programs like MEPI (Middle East Partnership Initiative) having broad, public bi-partisan support.  Cook states: “The Post turned something for which Americans should rightly be proud—advancing the cause of democracy and freedom in a country that has precious little of both—into something that seems pernicious.”  He also called the Post article, “journalistic haymaking.”