Syrian rebels ousted Bashar Assad after a 13-year civil war, prompting a shift in the region’s dynamics that presents risks and opportunities for the US.

President Biden acknowledged Assad’s removal as a historic opportunity, signaling the need for careful US engagement to avoid chaos in Syria.

Experts highlight this change as a chance to weaken Iran’s regional influence, as the overthrow of Assad hinders Iran’s strategic interests.

The US has had limited involvement in Syria, focusing mainly on combating ISIS, which complicates its response to the new power vacuum.

Did Iraq become a flourishing democracy post-Saddam. How about Afghanistan post-Taliban. How about Libya post-Gaddafi. I’m sure Syria post-Assad will be a successful regime change operation.

20 straight years of this stuff and people still don’t get it.

— Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) December 7, 2024

Expectations suggest a low-level US campaign against ISIS will continue until a stable government is established, with efforts to maintain order and support allies.

The end of Assad’s rule has opened a security vacuum that extremist groups may exploit, further jeopardizing the humanitarian situation.

Iran and Russia also seek to reassert their influence following Assad’s departure, which could lead to competition for power among various factions.

Key figures, including the leader of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, may vie for control in the power vacuum, raising concerns given the group’s past affiliations with terrorism.

Washington faces the challenge of engaging with groups like HTS while avoiding further destabilization.

ByteDance and TikTok have requested a temporary court order to block a U.S. law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 19.

They filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The companies warned that the law would shut down TikTok, affecting over 170 million U.S. users.

Without this injunction, TikTok faces a possible ban in six weeks, significantly diminishing its value and hurting businesses reliant on the app.

A three-judge panel recently upheld the law, mandating the divestiture.

The companies argue the likelihood of a Supreme Court reversal justifies a pause for further deliberation.

Additional time

They also pointed to President-elect Donald Trump’s opposition to a ban, suggesting additional time could help resolve the issue without Supreme Court intervention.

The Justice Department has indicated the appeals court should deny the request promptly for a timely Supreme Court review.

TikTok requested a decision by December 16, noting that the next actions depend on President Biden, who could extend the deadline, and Trump, who assumes office on January 20.

The feasibility of ByteDance demonstrating significant progress on divestiture remains uncertain.

Trump’s incoming national security adviser expressed his commitment to protecting user access to TikTok while ensuring data security.

A former minister of the Andrews government has criticized Victoria Police for overlooking terror symbols in Melbourne and is urging state Labor to adopt stricter protest regulations akin to those in New South Wales.

Philip Dalidakis, who served from 2015 to 2018, linked the recent arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue to a failure in public safety measures.

He is advocating for the introduction of protest permits and enhanced police authority to disperse gatherings.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has labeled the synagogue attack an act of terrorism, a stance not shared by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who refrained from such a designation to avoid hindering police investigations.

She characterised the attack as designed to instill fear within the Jewish community.

Community fear

Albanese signaled that the attack fits the definition of terrorism due to its intent to incite community fear.

He highlighted Labor’s commitment to Jewish community safety, referencing $25 million allocated to enhance security and an additional $32.5 million pledged.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton condemned the attack as a national disgrace and accused Labor of failing to address rising antisemitism.

He, along with former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, called for a formal terrorism designation and the formation of a police taskforce against antisemitism.