NEW YORK: All parties are understandably frustrated by what is happening in Syria, said P.J. Crowley, former assistant secretary of state, on Tuesday.

Speaking to Arab News, he said: “President Obama and Secretary Kerry did not change their position that Assad has to go, but there must be some realization of reality that the Russian intervention helped the regime to stabilize its hold on some parts of the country; and Assad for the time being is not going anywhere and as long as Russia and Iran believe that Assad is part of the solution there is a limit to what the US can do, and Assad now has to be part of the political transition there.”

Crowley said the US-Saudi relations remained strong and strategic, adding that it is too early to say that Congress can override President Obama’s expected veto of the 9/11 Bill that would allow the families of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the terrorist plot.

“It is not clear that the Congress will vote the same way after the veto because there could be potential for real world consequences if Congress overrides the presidential veto; therefore there must be a different calculation in the second voting,” he said, adding: “My advice to Saudi Arabia is not to overreact here, and realize that it needs to do a better job in explaining itself and its policies to the American people.”

David Mack, former deputy assistant to the secretary of state and a scholar at the Middle East Institute, told Arab News that the US and Saudi Arabia are real partners in dealing with the Syrian situation.

“I welcomed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif’s speech at the UN because he is trying to educate the world about the contribution of the Kingdom to helping refugees around the world, and especially the Syrian refugees. Indeed, a lot of people around the world do not know that Saudi Arabia gave millions of Syrians the permission to live and work in the Kingdom so they can feed their families and preserve their dignity.”