MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES WINTER 2017 MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM WINTER OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES 2017 American Exceptionalism in Syria: The Faith and the Heresy It is no wonder that sweep” could rescue his legacy from the incom- Rami Ruhayem, U.S. President Barack ing administration. He spoke of the spirit of Former Visiting Arab Journalist, Obama took shelter in America, “born of the Enlightenment,” that Woodrow Wilson International a long view of history has allowed it to “resist the lure of fascism Center for Scholars as he prepared to hand and tyranny.” Echoing President Woodrow over power to then U.S. Wilson’s idea of universal law,2 he spoke of President-elect Donald a post-World War II order “based not just J. Trump. “For every on military power or national affiliations, but two steps forward, it often feels we take one built on principles.”3 step back,” Obama conceded during his fare- And ten days later, President Obama hand- well speech in Chicago on January 10, 2017. ed over the world order to President Trump. “But the long sweep of America has been “From this day forward,” said Trump, “a new defined by forward motion, a constant widen- vision will govern our land. From this day ing of our founding creed to embrace all, and forward, it’s going to be only America first.”4 not just some.”1 The bumpy transition had turned into a He could see an ominous step back lurk- holy war of words. Obama recited the creed ing just around the corner, and only the “long of American exceptionalism and upheld the 1 MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES WINTER 2017 About the Middle East Program Director The Middle East Program was launched in February 1998 in light of Henri J. Barkey increased U.S. engagement in the region and the profound changes sweep- ing across many Middle Eastern states. In addition to spotlighting day-to-day Associate issues, the Program concentrates on long-term economic, social, and political developments, as well as relations with the United States. Kendra Heideman The Middle East Program draws on domestic and foreign regional experts Assistant for its meetings, conferences, and occasional papers. Conferences and meet- Julia Craig Romano ings assess the policy implications of all aspects of developments within the region and individual states; the Middle East’s role in the international arena; Special thanks American interests in the region; the threat of terrorism; arms proliferation; and strategic threats to and from the regional states. Special thanks to Kendra Heideman and Julia Craig The Program pays special attention to the role of women, youth, civil society Romano for coordinating institutions, Islam, and democratic and autocratic tendencies. In addition, the Middle East Program hosts meetings on cultural issues, including contempo- and editing this publication; rary art and literature in the region. Selin Aksoy for editing this publication; and the Design • Current Affairs: The Middle East Program emphasizes analysis of current staff for designing the issues and their implications for long-term developments in the region, includ- Occasional Paper Series. ing: the events surrounding the uprisings of 2011 in the Middle East and its effect on economic, political, and social life in countries in the region; the increased use of social media; the role of youth; Palestinian-Israeli diplomacy; Author acknowledgement Iran’s political and nuclear ambitions; the drawdown of American troops in I would like to thank the Afghanistan and Iraq and their effect on the region; human rights violations; Middle East Program at the globalization; economic and political partnerships; and U.S. foreign policy in Woodrow Wilson International the region. Center for Scholars for a most • Gender Issues: The Middle East Program devotes considerable attention timely opportunity to explore to the role of women in advancing civil society and to the attitudes of govern- American policy in Syria. The ments and the clerical community toward women’s rights in the family and Center offers a rich variety of society at large. The Program examines employment patterns, education, legal rights, and political participation of women in the region. The Program also resources for research, none has a keen interest in exploring women’s increasing roles in conflict prevention more valuable than an atmo- and post-conflict reconstruction activities. sphere that prizes free debate • Islam, Democracy and Civil Society: The Middle East Program monitors the and a diversity of perspectives. growing demand of people in the region for the transition to democratization, political participation, accountable government, the rule of law, and adher- ence by their governments to international conventions, human rights, and women’s rights. It continues to examine the role of Islamic movements and the role of Islamic parties in shaping political and social developments and the variety of factors that favor or obstruct the expansion of civil society. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not reflect those of the Woodrow Wilson Center. 2 image of America as an enlightened global leader It has the capacity to set the whole region on fire. destined to lead for the good of all humanity. That’s why we have to fight it.” Trump appealed to nationalism—pure and simple. Much of the handwringing about Obama’s ISIS Amid their historic duel, the two men appeared policy seems to unwittingly point to his success. One to be in agreement on one thing, in substance if not idea mainstreamed by some of his critics is that the in style. fight against ISIS “has become a vehicle and a guise “We have taken out tens of thousands of ter- for all actors to pursue their competing interests,” rorists—including Bin Laden,” said Obama. “The and that the weakening of ISIS is accompanied by global coalition we’re leading against ISIL has taken the “resurfacing, often in more potent ways, of past out their leaders and taken away about half their fault lines.”6 territory. ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who But that is precisely the point as far as Obama threatens America will ever be safe.” was concerned. The problem ISIS posed to him was With a measure of stylistic innovation and that it upset the past fault lines: “Everyone had his a minor policy tweak, Trump picked up where turf. And then the Joker comes in and lights the Obama left off: “We will reinforce old alliances whole city on fire.”7 and form new ones—and unite the civilized world Furthermore, the regional competition seemed against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will to have served U.S. purposes, not obstructed them, eradicate completely from the face of the earth.” and fit well with Obama’s views on the efficient use of power. Obama seemed to see himself as something of a shadow operator. In Libya, he let Sarkozy brag Obama in Syria about his role in the war, while he would “purchase France’s involvement in a way that made it less Under Barack Obama, the United States launched expensive for us and less risky for us.”8 two wars in Syria: a proxy war against the Syrian If he can do it to friends, better still to opponents regime and a direct war against ISIS and other trans- and enemies. Let Iran and Russia take as much of the national jihadists. When it came to ISIS, Obama burden as possible; he wanted to minimize expense articulated his policy relatively bluntly and with and avoid taking the brunt of a ground operation.9 less contradiction than his statements about Syrian “Real power,” he told Goldberg, “means you President Bashar al-Assad. can get what you want without having to exert One of the best examples emerges from Jeffrey violence.”10 Goldberg’s piece “The Obama Doctrine” for The But realists, too, are unsure what to make of Atlantic. Goldberg cites Obama using a Batman Obama. Some seem happy that he articulated ideas movie analogy to explain his problem with ISIS:5 that they see fit into a realist school of foreign pol- “There’s a scene in the beginning in which the icy,11 while others are disappointed that he neither gang leaders of Gotham are meeting,” the President articulated them enough nor succeeded in putting would say. “These are men who had the city divided them into practice. up. They were thugs, but there was a kind of order. Stephen Walt is vocal among the latter, and he Everyone had his turf. And then the Joker comes in pays particular attention to Obama’s rhetoric. “This and lights the whole city on fire. ISIL is the Joker. most articulate of presidents,” he said, “never articu- 3 MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES WINTER 2017 lated a clear and coherent framework identifying ruled by European powers. But soon enough after vital U.S. interests.”12 the King-Crane Commission, Faisal “met with real- Obama’s belief in American exceptionalism and ity”18 when he realized that despite “all efforts at “his tendency to recite the familiar rhetoric of liberal pleasing Wilson… he [Faisal] was going to lose both hegemony,” according Walt, made him more liable Palestine and Syria….”19 to intervene where U.S. interests were not at stake.13 The Syrian historian Sami Moubayed offers a It seemed easily predictable Obama would not less-known sequel to the famous story—an unin- dwell on Syria in a farewell speech meant in large tended but telling episode that would display the part to imprint his legacy. Syria does not seem to fit enduring power of the Wilsonian pull. in his stories about American exceptionalism, and Just three years later, in 1922, Crane decided to there is little about it to inspire on an occasion that return to Syria.