Biden calls Assad's ouster a historic opportunity for Syria and U.S. interests

President Joe Biden called the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a "historic opportunity" for Syria. This change could weaken Russia and Iran's influence in the region and help the U.S. combat the Islamic State. The U.S. is considering working with the new government led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, despite its designation as a terrorist organization. The Biden administration has channels to communicate with various groups in Syria to support their transition. The U.S. aims to prevent the resurgence of ISIS and has conducted airstrikes against its targets following Assad's collapse. Additionally, the U.S. is exploring leads on missing journalist Austin Tice, believed to be alive, now that Assad is no longer in power.