The US sanctions regimen against the Assad regime is working. Here’s how. MENASource by Peter Metzger A military police member stands past election campaign posters depicting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, ahead of the May 26 presidential election, in Damascus, Syria May 19, 2021. Picture taken May 19, 2021. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi The refrain from foreign policy cynics and progressives on the ongoing conflict in Syria, which is now in its eleventh year, generally sounds the same: “the conflict in Syria is over,” “there is no US interest there any longer,” “Bashar al-Assad and his patrons have won the war.” The complexity of the conflict, Assad’s sordid history alongside that of his patrons Russia and Iran, and the bevy of state and non-state actors vying for political and military terrain make simple maxims hard to come by for Syria in 2021.