From Syria with Love, Senator McCain- Atlantic Council

[TomSea]

September 18, 2018
From Syria with Love, Senator McCain
By Jomana Qaddour and Suzanne Meriden

Photo: U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) (L) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) (2nd L) are greeted by Syrian refugee children during their visit at Yayladagi refugee camp in Hatay province on the Turkish-Syrian border April 10, 2012. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

The Arab Spring forever altered the lives of Syrian-Americans. The community now refers to life before and after the start of the Syrian revolution. Initially, the infectious energy from al-Assi Square in Hama and Tahrir Square in Cairo captured hearts across the world and triggered supportive policy measures from governments. It was only a couple of years before the enthusiasm turned into heartache and horror.

By mid-2013, few US policy makers wanted to stake their professional careers on increasingly beleaguered democratic movements in Cairo, Misrata, and Homs. Senator John McCain was one of the few that did not shy away from the challenge, especially in Syria, where he emerged as a singular champion of the cause of freedom in public, behind closed doors, and even on the ground in Syria itself.

When McCain passed on, many Syrians and Syrian-Americans mourned the loss of one of the few public figures who believed their revolution was worth living and dying for. His death comes on the heels of what has been a brutal few months for Syrians opposed to the Assad regime: death certificates issued by the regime confirming the torture of thousands of detainees, the unexpected death of the brilliant actress and brave advocate May Skaf, and the regime’s reclaiming of Daraa, the birthplace of the revolution. It seems that for the foreseeable future, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will remain in power, thanks largely to his Iranian and Russian allies.

Read more at: http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/syriasource/from-syria-with-love-senator-mccain