No sooner had ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s plane touched down in Moscow than a debate erupted inside the Beltway about what the United States should do in Syria. Not surprisingly, it kicked off after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media that Syria was “not our fight.” At around the same time, President Joe Biden said, “As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risks.”

Taken together, Biden and Trump have provided the foreign-policy community with the rough outlines of a decent U.S. approach to Syria.

No sooner had ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s plane touched down in Moscow than a debate erupted inside the Beltway about what the United States should do in Syria. Not surprisingly, it kicked off after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump posted on social media that Syria was “not our fight.” At around the same time, President Joe Biden said, “As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risks.”

Taken together, Biden and Trump have provided the foreign-policy community with the rough outlines of a decent U.S. approach to Syria.

Almost immediately after Trump’s post and Biden’s statement, the commentariat shot back. To pursue a policy based on what both were prescribing would ensure that Washington would miss a “historic opportunity” because the early actions of the new government indicated a commitment to “inclusivity and stability.” Others argued that it was the United States’ hands-off approach to Syria’s civil war in the first place that helped prolong its 13 years of agony. Presumably, this was why policymakers were informed that it was necessary for the United States to help ensure a smooth and stable transition in Damascus.

The idea that the United States can have some role in forging a new order in Syria is folly. It........

© Foreign Policy