Former American diplomats, military leaders, and intelligence officials are urging the Biden administration to end a growing normalization of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad amid a decline in U.S. regional influence.

The contingent sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding action. American protests about ISIS have taken a backseat to other regional economic interests, and U.S. concerns took another hit in the wake of the China-brokered deal reestablishing relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.