Bashar Assad comes to the Geneva II talks confident that he can - TopicsExpress

Bashar Assad comes to the Geneva II talks confident that he can force a settlement on his terms - one that leaves him in power over a reunited Syria. Syria scholar Andrew Tabler offers policy options for Washington - at the negotiating table and beyond - to prevent a forced settlement. A push for unconditional ceasefires to permit humanitarian aid delivery and assistance in holding elections in rebel-held areas can help shift the terms of negotiations and encourage a settlement that achieves Syrian aspirations for an end to the conflict.