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Aimee Cutrona: Woman of Syrian Origin at the National Security Council

Aimee Cutrona. Photo Courtesy of US State Department
Aimee Cutrona. Photo Courtesy of US State Department
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Aimee Cutrona: Woman of Syrian Origin at the National Security Council

Aimee Cutrona. Photo Courtesy of US State Department
Aimee Cutrona. Photo Courtesy of US State Department

The administration of US President Joe Biden appointed Aimee Cutrona of Syrian origin as Acting Special Representative for Syria Engagement at the National Security Council.

The White House said that Cutrona “has extensive experience supporting US diplomacy in the region.”

The appointment came shortly after Biden took office last January.

Cutrona began her career in 1999, serving her first assignment in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since then she has served as a Political Officer in Embassies in El Salvador, Qatar, and Egypt.

She also served in Washington in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau, covering Iraq, Algeria, and Tunisia, and as a special assistant to the then Under Secretary for Global Affairs including on efforts to promote International Women’s Issues and combat Trafficking in Persons.

Cutrona is a graduate of Smith College and holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Conflict Management from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

She also serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Levant Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs as President Biden has still yet to nominate a new person for the post.

Barbara Leaf, the former ambassador to the UAE, who serves on the National Security Council’s Middle East team at the White House, is a top contender for that position.

Cutrona’s appointment comes during a critical stage of the US-Syrian relations, particularly after the US President ordered last month airstrikes in Syria that the Pentagon said targeting by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for rocket attacks on US targets in Iraq.

Last week, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said it is time to reach a real political solution in Syria, adding that: “This is the only way to bring sustainable peace, stability and security to the Syrian people.”

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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is advocating the formation of a government of “consensus” that includes representatives from all political factions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has requested that parliamentary blocs submit non-partisan nominees for ministerial positions, emphasizing that they must not belong to any political party.

Aoun stressed on Tuesday that all components of society have the right to be represented in the government, parliament and public administration, as this is already practiced in the army.

“We have significant opportunities that we hope to seize by uniting all elements of Lebanese society—civil, spiritual, and political. Together, we can rebuild our nation,” he declared.

Highlighting the importance of meeting international expectations, Aoun hoped for the rapid formation of a government to achieve political, economic, and security stability, which would allow citizens “to live with dignity, not merely in relative comfort.”

During meetings with professional delegations at the Presidential Palace, Aoun said: “We are at a crossroads. Either we take advantage of the current circumstances and rise above sectarian, religious, and political divisions, or we head in a different direction and bear full responsibility for failing to fulfill our duties.”

Negotiations between Aoun, Salam, and political factions over the formation of a government are ongoing. The discussions, which kicked off last week, have reportedly made progress, with efforts directed toward expediting the government formation process, issuing decrees, preparing a ministerial statement, and securing its vote of confidence from lawmakers.

While the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement appear to have finalized their proposed nominees for the government, disagreements over the ministerial statement remain.

MP Waddah Sadek, who is backed by the opposition, firmly rejected the inclusion of the “Army, People, Resistance” term in the statement. He declared: “No ‘blocking third’ in the government, and no unconstitutional gimmicks. The slogan of the new phase in Lebanon should be: the ‘Army, People, and State.’”

The Kataeb Party echoed this stance, stressing that Lebanon, emerging from a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, must align with the Aoun’s inaugural speech and Salam’s remarks by ensuring the ministerial statement exclusively underscores the state’s monopoly over arms and the defense of the nation.

“The government must act decisively, dismantle militias, strictly enforce the ceasefire, and uphold its provisions across all Lebanese territory,” it demanded.

The Kataeb Party also urged Aoun and Salam to resist the “great extortion” by Hezbollah and Amal to secure specific ministries or positions, in violation of the inaugural speech, calling instead for the application of uniform standards to ensure the government’s success.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah adopted a more confrontational tone.

MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, commented: “To those betting on Hezbollah’s weakness or the weakness of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, what will you say when the government is formed? What will you say when you realize the strength of Hezbollah, the alliance, and the resistance’s supporters across all segments of Lebanese society? What will you say when you see the unwavering determination and unity of the resistance at every critical juncture?”