Barbara A. Leaf: “The administration's commitment to reducing regional tensions, banking the fires of conflict, building deep partnerships…”

The brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi was absolutely unacceptable.

It will not be done by military means alone.

President Biden has articulated a forward-looking approach to the region based on five elements: partnership, deterrence, diplomacy, regional integration, and values.

I want to be clear on what we have not done in Syria and what we will not do, which is support efforts to normalize or rehabilitate Bashar Al-Assad in any way, lift sanctions on the regime, or change our position opposing reconstruction in…