Amb. Ford to Return to Syria

State Department Spokesman Mark Toner announced that Ambassador Robert Ford will return to Syria. Toner’s official statement says that Ford “will continue the work he was doing previously; namely, delivering the United States’ message to the people of Syria; providing reliable reporting on the situation on the ground; and engaging with the full spectrum of Syrian society on how to end the bloodshed and achieve a peaceful political transition. We believe his presence in the country is among the most effective ways to send the message that the United States stands with the people of Syria.” Ford was recalled from his post in Damascus in October amid escalating violence and intimidation targeted at the ambassador.

The announcement of Ford’s return came as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with leaders of the Syrian National Council in Geneva. Tuesday’s meeting was the second time Clinton has met with Syrian opposition actors since the administration called for President Bashar al-Assad to resign in August. Associated Press reports that “Clinton told a group of seven Syrian pro-reform activists that she wanted to hear their plans to establish a new democratic government if they are successful in prying President Bashar Assad and his regime from power. Her invitation was a step short of endorsement, but a clear sign the US wants to work closely with those who might assume leadership roles.”