Less than a year ago, then-elected US President Donald Trump publicly distanced himself from events in Syria following the fall of dictator Bashar el-Assad. “Let’s solve the problem. Let’s not drag ourselves into it,” he demanded. This recommendation did not work. Washington is working with Damascus on the transition process, and Republicans received talks from the country’s new leader, Ahmed al-Shara, at the White House this month. It will be the first time an Arab head of state has visited Washington, and the first time the US government has attacked the former Yihadist leader, who has pledged up to $10 million (and a new €1 million) for his head.
The conference focused on security and was held every few months. Although he was on President Trump’s official agenda, he did not follow normal visiting procedures for foreign representatives. Rather than entering through the main entrance in Casablanca’s west wing, Al Shara entered through a side entrance normally reserved for employees. There was no honor guard holding a flag outside the entrance, nor were there any photos of the summit.
The meeting was held strictly privately, without the usual question-and-answer session between President Trump and foreign leaders at the presidential palace. While talks were underway, only Casablanca confirmed that al-Shara arrived at 11:37 local time (17:37 Peninsula Spanish time).
The US government last week lifted sanctions it had imposed on the former Ihadist leader and his foreign minister, Anas Jatab, for his leadership role in the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militia and ties to the Islamic Army and al-Qaeda. The UN Security Council also removed those detained against Syria. Trump and al-Shara appeared at the White House for a two-hour meeting, while the Treasury Department announced that it would suspend for 180 days some of the toughest sanctions it had imposed on Syria, dubbed “Lee Cesar.”
It is essential for the United States to build good relations with Syria, which is an important country connecting the Mediterranean Sea and Asia Minor. It is also to ensure Israel’s security, prevent Iranian and Russian influence in Arab countries, and prevent the resurgence of Islamic State and other similar groups in the region.
For the Damascus regime, formed in the wake of the blitzkrieg that toppled Hayat Tahrir al-Sham’s el-Assad (until 2016 an al-Qaeda-affiliated rebel group led by al-Sharay), it is vital that Syria reconnects with the rest of the world, gains international legitimacy, and receives more than $200 billion in reconstruction aid. According to the World Bank, economic and diplomatic relations with Western countries can be developed.
US media in conversation about a possible security agreement between Syria and Israel. In addition, Washington plans to establish a military presence at an air base in Damascus, according to Reuters. The debate between Mr. Al Shara and Mr. Trump is also expected to include the possibility of Syria joining the U.S.-led global coalition fighting Islamic State. The Syrian army has collaborated several times with the coalition, which also conducts operations against ISIS cells in the region.
By the time al-Shara landed in Washington this weekend, Syria’s interior ministry had launched a campaign against the jihadist group’s cells across the country and captured more than 70 suspects.
The talks in Casablanca continued the first meeting between the Syrian and US presidents held in Saudi Arabia last May. At that meeting, hosted by Saudi Arabia’s hereditary prince Mohammed bin Salman, President Trump praised his interlocutor as a leader with a “strong past.”
Trump then planted al-Shara’s interests in Syria succumbing to the Abraham Accords. That is why several Muslim-majority countries have started the process of normalizing relations with Israel. That’s a perspective that could have been presented in this month’s Citadel of Casablanca.
The Abraham Accords represent President Trump’s proudest foreign policy accomplishment of his first term, and he is very interested in expanding them. Last week, Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, rallied in a symbolic effort for Astana to maintain diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.
Next week we will be visiting Casa Blanca Bin Salman. Washington has a special interest in finalizing these agreements with Saudi Arabia, the spiritual leader of the Arab states and the economic power of the Near East, although Riyadh has not prioritized steps in this direction, has not resolved the future of Gaza or established a credible path towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Syria has also shown signs of great interest in normalizing relations with a man who has occupied parts of its southern territory in the Golan Heights, where the current Syrian president’s family is from, since the 1967 Six-Day War, and who has recently made further incursions into Syrian territory in the name of national security.
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