I’ve been struck by a strain of commentary asking observers of the world scene to focus on and celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Understandably, Assad has run a nasty, blood-curdling despotism, outfitted with secret police to oppress Sunni rivals. He hosted Iranian proxies who in turn harassed and murdered others in the region.
But the prime force ousting him is Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — an umbrella group for Sunni jihadists including everyone from the Islamic State to Nour al-Din al-Zenki (whom I’ve often mentioned in this space, because they filmed themselves beheading children even as they were in receipt of U.S. support). This collection of radicals is led by the former head of al-Qaeda in Syria, Mohammad al-Golani. He is a designated terrorist and currently has a $10 million bounty on his head from the U.S. government. Yet the press is giving him a “reinvention” story.
Maybe it’s having seen 9/11, but I can’t bring myself to focus on the silver linings of al-Qaeda’s victories. Al-Golani is advertising himself as a moderate and a pluralist to governments that might recognize his incoming regime. But, already, the Christian archbishop of Aleppo is prophesying the swift end of Christianity in Syria.