Ahmed al-Sharaa (Al-Jolani) has been taken to the United States, where he is now holding a series of meetings. He is the first Syrian head of state ever to travel to the US. Previous leaders had avoided such visits due to Syria’s state of war with Israel. Both Hafez and Bashar al-Assad, throughout their long years in power, kept a distance from Washington, choosing instead to cultivate relations first with the Soviet Union and later with Russia. During the Cold War, Syria firmly aligned itself with the Soviet bloc.
As is well known, al-Sharaa comes from an al-Qaeda and ISIS background. This ideological structure is generally built upon hostility toward Israel. Because the US supports Israel, anti-American sentiment has also played a significant role in their politics. Movements rooted in a rigid interpretation of Islam are deeply intertwined with anti-Jewish sentiment. Yet at their core, these religiously driven structures are not opposed to capitalism or statehood; on the contrary, they are rigidly statist and power-oriented.
Despite their internal divisions and even open hostility toward one another, these movements share one defining trait: their pursuit of power through the state. From Iran to Saudi Arabia, from Afghanistan to al-Qaeda and ISIS, all of these entities seek to seize control and impose authority over society through state structures.
Their opposition to Israel and the US does not stem from principle or anti-capitalist convictions. Except for Iran, nearly all of these forces have in some way softened their stance toward, or even cooperated with, the US and Israel.
Even Iran has been seeking reconciliation with the US and the Western world. After the 12-day war in which it confronted Israel head-on, Tehran can no longer speak as boldly as before. With Hezbollah weakened, Hamas immobilized, and the Baath regime in Syria collapsed, Iran too has entered a phase of compromise, yet it remains a target for both Israel and the US.
So, what is Ahmed al-Sharaa, the man who once led al-Qaeda and now heads the group known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) doing in the US? Or to reverse the question: why has Washington brought al-Sharaa to the White House? These developments will undoubtedly spark intense debate. Examining and investigating them is both necessary and important, because those in pursuit of power, regardless of their religion or politics, will stop at nothing to seize and sanctify the ultimate temple of authority: the state. It is crucial, philosophically and ideologically, not to lose sight of this.
In Syria, al-Sharaa does not enjoy broad popular support. The Baath regime has lost its grip on power, and HTS has advanced to Damascus and taken control, effectively a coup. The public had grown weary of the Baath regime, exhausted by the heavy toll of civil war and left without organization. Yet, as in many revolutions, the masses did not greet HTS with enthusiasm. Millions did not mobilize in its ranks. They merely welcomed the fall of the Baath regime and chose to remain in a state of watchful observation.
Before the people could even breathe, HTS launched brutal campaigns of massacres, first against the Alawite community, then against the Druze. These events prompted a more cautious attitude toward HTS, both inside and outside the country. As a result, the initial joy over the collapse of the Baath regime quickly turned into a bitter passivity and quiet anticipation.
Israel, viewing the rise of an extremist religious structure on its doorstep as a threat to its own security, began dismantling all remaining military infrastructures from the previous era. The interim Syrian government was powerless to respond. While the US did not explicitly endorse Israel’s attacks, it also refrained from taking a stance against them. The Turkish state, HTS’s main sponsor, remained a bystander. Realizing this, HTS understood that it could not stay in power without the backing of the US and Israel. To preserve its rule, it now depends on the support of Washington and the Western world.
Syria remains under a heavy embargo, leaving the country no room to recover economically or rebuild. Lifting the sanctions requires the approval of the US. Moreover, reaching an agreement with Israel is no longer seen as a choice but as a necessity.
On the issue of Palestine, HTS has been the quietest of all. It has not even dared to express open support for Hamas. To remain in power, it has pushed aside the very cause of Palestine that it once invoked so frequently. As Palestinians face massacres, HTS has chosen silence, turning a blind eye. Considering all these factors together, it takes little imagination to foresee that al-Sharaa will accept the conditions set by the US.
Al-Sharaa is expected to join the US–led coalition formed to combat ISIS. He will align himself with the bloc designed by Washington and structured around Israel’s security doctrine. In the long run, it would not be far-fetched to predict his inclusion in the Abraham Accords. In short, al-Sharaa is positioning Syria squarely within the Western front.
The US and European powers, having found no viable alternative in Syria, have effectively accepted al-Sharaa as their partner. A consensus appears to have been reached around HTS, with the United Kingdom reportedly taking the lead. Under current circumstances, the US remains the decisive force. The more they bind al-Sharaa to their political framework, the more they will ease the embargo, bringing Syria under Western control.
An intriguing development occurred when Al-Jolani traveled to the US: Turkey’s foreign minister soon redirected his own itinerary toward Washington. Turkey had already taken on the lobbying and back channel work for al-Sharaa. Turkey was particularly eager for HTS to join the coalition against ISIS. The goal was to push the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) out of the equation and block the Kurds from securing any political status within Syria. Opposition to Kurdish autonomy remains a strategic priority; they refuse to allow even the smallest opening on this issue. As a state policy, Turkey continues its efforts in this direction relentlessly, both across the Middle East and on the global stage.