Ex-Syria Ambassador: U.S. Ineffective

The former U.S. ambassador to Syria says that he left the job this year because he “was no longer in a position where I felt I could defend the American policy.” In an interview with CNN, Robert Ford explained that the U.S. was unable to address the conflict’s root causes, was only successful in removing most of Syria’s chemical weapons, and should have put more pressure on President Bashar al-Assad. “Especially as the extremist threat to the United States and to our friends emanating out of Syria grows,” he said, “I think we really must consider carefully whether or not we are doing all we can to help our friends in Syria.”