In an interview given to an Emirates daily newspaper, The National, Robert Ford, who had been the US ambassador to Syria under the Obama administration, made the following statement:
“The war will gradually be drawn to an end. Assad has won and he will stay [in power]. He will never be held to account [for what has happened], and Iran will remain in Syria. This is a new reality that we have to accept, and there is not really very much that we can do about this state of affairs.”

Robert Ford played a central role in exporting the “Arab Spring” to Syria. He participated in the demonstration against the Republic that took place at Hama, which marked the beginning of the so- called “civil war”. Today he is working in Washington with the Middle East Institute, which from now on will be funded by the United Arab Emirates.

“Assad has won says former US ambassador to Syria”, Joyce Karam, The National, August 28, 2017.

Translation
Anoosha Boralessa