Trump and Syria's president: influence on the Middle East
Trump and Syria's president: influence on the Middle East
CNN-US President Donald Trump had a meeting with a former jihadist on Wednesday, which until recently a $ 10 million US head money . The interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, met Trump in Riyadh, six months after he had led a rapid campaign to fall of the Assad Regime for decades by repressed Iranically supported groups and declared himself a leader of the country.
historical meeting
al Sharaa was placed on the US list of specially designated global terrorists in 2013 because he led the al-Qaaida offshoot in Syria, known as Al Nusra Front, and allegedly orchestrated suicide attacks throughout Syria. The former jihadist, born in Saudi Arabia, had fought US troops in Iraq for years before moving to Syria to lead an armed Islamist rebellion that plunged the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The meeting, which was described by Syria as "historical", was the first between a US and a Syrian president for 25 years and took place during Trump's NaHostt tour, the first state visits to his second term.
positive echo
Both guides smiled in photos published by the White House and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Trump had undertaken to "support Syria in this critical phase". The day before, Trump had announced the cancellation of decades of sanctions against Syria, which triggered enthusiasm
"Oh, what I do for the crown prince," said Trump on Tuesday in front of those present and praised the factual Saudi Arab leader for his commitment to cancel the sanctions described by the president as "brutally and paralyzed". Syria has been a supporter of terrorism for the United States since December 1979.
economic effects of the sanctions
Syria's economy has been severely struck by western sanctions for years. One of the most draconian measures is the Caesar law of the United States in 2019, which imposed extensive sanctions and held individuals, companies or governments from economic activities that supported Assad's efforts. This regulation made the entire economy inviolable. According to the World Bank, the country's economy shrank by more than half between 2010 and 2020.
In 2022, poverty of 69 % of the Syrian population was affected, according to the World Bank. Extreme poverty affected one of four Syrians in 2022, whereby this number may have dropped after a devastating earthquake in February 2023.
The Gulf States are interested in investing in Syria and supporting its economy, but they hesitated to violate US sanctions for fear. Trump's decision could reduce such barriers and pave the way for potentially billions of dollars in investments.
suggestions for normalization
During the meeting, Trump suggested that Sharaa take a number of measures, including normalization with Israel, the expulsion of foreign and Palestinian "terrorists" and the support of the USA to prevent the resumption of ISIS, according to the White House. The resumption of the dialogue with Syria could offer the new government of the country and its president, who in an interview with CNN last year that the Syrian armed opposition ultimately wants to form a government defined by institutions and a “advice elected by the people”.For the Gulf States and Turkey, which also occur to the abolition of sanctions, however, opens up the opportunity to expand their influence in Syria and benefit economically from this development.
cautiouus Optimism
After the announcement of the lifting of the sanctions, fireworks illuminated the sky over some of the largest cities of Syria. Posters were hung up to thank Trump and Prince Mohammed. "I don't know what life without sanctions would be," said Ranim Sakhal, who has lived under sanctions since her birth in the 1970s. "The country suffocated."
"People are optimistic and our dream is that Arab countries help, which we have not seen for years, because of Bashar's rivalry with the Arab leaders," added Sakhal.
challenges for the new government
The Syrian lira rose by up to 27 % compared to the US dollar after the announcement. The country's Economic and Commercial Minister, Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, showed himself emotionally in a live interview with the Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya when he emphasized that Syria is now "entering a new phase". But optimism is not universal. The lifting of the sanctions would give Sharaa’s new government a lot of legitimacy, and some Syrians are concerned about the treatment of minorities by the former jihadists.
"We are happy ... God is. After all these years, the economy could be revitalized. The prices are very high, products are not available, so, God wants, it will be the beginning of economic improvements in the country," said George, a resident of Damascus who did not want to reveal his last name. However, the lifting of the sanctions should not be interpreted as a tacit approval of the regime without accounting for those responsible for killing minorities, according to his comment.
Saudi Arabia and the geopolitical interests
For decades, the Gulf States from Syria had been excluded, while their rivals Iran expanded its influence in the country by Allianz with the Assad regime. For a decade, civil war in Syria significantly stressed the relationships between Damascus and most Arab countries, which ultimately led to Syria's exclusion from the Arab league. In recent years, the Gulf States began to repair relationships with the Assad regime and led the efforts to rehabilitate it until it was abruptly disempowered in December. Since then, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have strengthened their efforts to reintegrate the new government into the international community.The Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan announced on Wednesday that Riyadh will be at the "top" of the economic revival of Syria. These efforts could enable Saudi Arabia to become an important actor in the country and to expand his influence there for the first time.
"Syria will not be alone. Saudi Arabia ... will be at the top of the supporters of this economic revitalization ... (Syria) needs a thrust, and his brothers will receive it in the region," said Bin Farhan at a press conference on Wednesday.
conflicts with Israel
During the bid administration, the United States is about to achieve a comprehensive security and business agreement that could have led to the normalization of relationships between the kingdom and Israel. Despite Trump's wish that Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel, no such normalization was implemented during his visit to Riyadh. Instead, the President said that he would build relationships with Sharaa, which contradicted Israel, that Syria has repeatedly bombed and has conquered more of his territory since the fall of Assad.An Israeli government representative said to CNN that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Trump asked in Washington in April not to remove the sanctions against Syria, as he feared that this could lead to repeating the events of October 7, 2023 than attacked by Hamas.
Netanyahu had taken an aggressive attitude towards Sharaa and his new government. In the days after Assad's dismissal he ordered an unprecedented Deeper into the country than ever led and the 50-year-old tacit approach between Israel and the Assads brought.
"We overthrown the Assad regime, which mainly acted as a land connection between Iran and the Hisbollah in Lebanon," said Netanyahu in a video statement last week.
After meeting Sharaa, Trump praised him as a "big, young, attractive guy" with a "very strong past" that was a "fighter". According to Trump, the new Syrian President has "a real chance to make it".
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