During a visit to Palmyra, reporters found traces of the many forces that had fought over the city and ancient monuments reduced to rubble.
The end of the Assad era has reduced some threats, but the Islamic State has shown renewed strength in the country.
The U.S. has sent more forces to Syria, tamping down on the immediate threat, but experts warn that the extremist group could break thousands of hardened fighters out of prison.
The list of ministers appears to be a compromise between calls for a diverse cabinet to unite the divided country while keeping allies of the interim president, Ahmed al-Shara, in powerful roles.
For many middle- and working-class New Yorkers, it’s an even more distant possibility than it used to be.