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Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis: After meeting Trump, Syria's new leader must prove his willingness, capability
BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected approach to Syria has presented a significant opportunity for the country's interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, to prove that he can overcome the enormous challenges he faces and lead the war-torn nation toward recovery and stabilization, political analysts and experts said. Trump's announcement of the cessation of U.S. sanctions, along with his meeting with Sharaa -- a former jihadist who, until recently, was on the U.S. most-wanted list with a $10 million bounty on his head -- marked a turning point and the beginning of a new chapter for Syria nearly six months after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his Baathist regime. With Assad gone, the sanctions were increasingly seen as only prolonging the suffering of the Syrian people and worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions. Had the sanctions remained in place, Syria would have become a failed state, as it was just weeks away from financial collapse, according to Mouaz Mustafa of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Mustafa warned that continued sanctions would have led to disastrous consequences for both the region and the world. With layers of sanctions in place since 1979, the process of lifting them remains unclear, and experts say it will take time. "There is a huge difference between deciding to lift sanctions and actually lifting them," Nanar Hawach, a senior Syria analyst for the International Crisis Group, told UPI. However, he said it would be "a game-changer" for the economy, giving the green light for the private sector and other stakeholders involved in Syria to step in and "be more bold." Since taking over after Assad's ouster, Sharaa has repeatedly called for the lifting of U.S. and other international sanctions to allow his country to breathe again. He understands that without funding and financial support, there is little he can do to put Syria back on track. Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the continuation of sanctions was hindering the country's ability to recover and move forward. Yacoubian noted that removing the sanctions would open the way for Gulf countries in particular to "do more" and channel more resources toward Syria's early recovery and stabilization, and eventually, reconstruction -- provided it is done "transparently and in a responsible way." However, Syria's problems will not be resolved simply by ending the sanctions. Sharaa is facing "very significant issues," including sectarian tensions, the need for transitional justice, and how to manage the more extreme elements of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS -- the group he led before becoming president -- as well as affiliated factions on which he continues to rely while trying to consolidate control. "So how will he use this newfound breathing space and the anticipated resources to consolidate his personal power, or rather to put Syria on a more sustainable path toward stability and, ultimately, peace?" Yacoubian asked rhetorically. She added that he will have to demonstrate a willingness to undertake complex processes related to transitional justice, inclusive governance, and national reconciliation. According to Hawach, Trump has given Sharaa "the benefit of the doubt," and the new leadership in Damascus will need to seize this opportunity to meet internal and external expectations. "How willing are they to take bold, risky steps such as distancing themselves from their radical base and expanding to include a broader range of constituencies?" he asked. "Are they prepared to take courageous actions to rein in or address the presence of foreign fighters? Would they focus on other issues, such as building institutional capacity or strengthening military capabilities?" Trump, who described Sharaa as an "attractive, tough guy," urged him to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, expel foreign fighters from Syria, deport Palestinian militants, assist the U.S. in preventing an ISIS resurgence and take responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria. What Syrians want most is a more inclusive national dialogue and political process, the formation of a national army and measures to address the fears of minority groups. Anas Joudeh, a political researcher and founder of the Nation Building Movement in Syria, said the first step would be for Sharaa to seriously engage with all of the country's constituencies, restart the national dialogue, adopt a new constitution, and form a more inclusive government. "We can't expect things to be perfect right now," Joudeh told UPI. "We will strongly support any move toward greater inclusivity, as the country is heading toward total economic and social collapse." He said the key to Syria's successful transition is the formation of a national army, which poses a "big challenge" for Sharaa. This includes absorbing the armed factions, addressing the foreign fighters who still maintain control in several areas and convincing the Druze, Alawites and Kurds to lay down their weapons. "But that would be very difficult if Sharaa keeps on [running the country] with the same mentality," Joudeh said. Sharaa will, therefore, need to address the concerns of the Druze, Alawites and Kurds, find solutions to mitigate feelings of existential threat, impose security and, ultimately, act not as a faction leader, but as the leader of the entire country, Hawach said. "If they decide to make positive steps towards these communities, this is the perfect time to do so," he added. He explained that with the possibility of accessing much-needed funds, the country can recruit for the army, establish better command control and gain more leverage to deal with armed factions that are not yet fully under the new authorities' control. Makram Rabah, a political activist and history professor at the American University of Beirut, said Trump's meeting with Sharaa will put more pressures on him to act as a political leader. "Lifting the sanctions sent a message not only to Sharaa but also to the Druze, Kurds and Alawites: that there is political cover, a form of settlement, and a need to work together," Rabah told UPI. "However, this is far from easy."
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Analysis: After meeting Trump, Syria's new leader must prove his willingness, capability
BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected approach to Syria has presented a significant opportunity for the country's interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, to prove that he can overcome the enormous challenges he faces and lead the war-torn nation toward recovery and stabilization, political analysts and experts said. Trump's announcement of the cessation of U.S. sanctions, along with his meeting with Sharaa -- a former jihadist who, until recently, was on the U.S. most-wanted list with a $10 million bounty on his head -- marked a turning point and the beginning of a new chapter for Syria nearly six months after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his Baathist regime. With Assad gone, the sanctions were increasingly seen as only prolonging the suffering of the Syrian people and worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions. Had the sanctions remained in place, Syria would have become a failed state, as it was just weeks away from financial collapse, according to Mouaz Mustafa of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Mustafa warned that continued sanctions would have led to disastrous consequences for both the region and the world. With layers of sanctions in place since 1979, the process of lifting them remains unclear, and experts say it will take time. "There is a huge difference between deciding to lift sanctions and actually lifting them," Nanar Hawach, a senior Syria analyst for the International Crisis Group, told UPI. However, he said it would be "a game-changer" for the economy, giving the green light for the private sector and other stakeholders involved in Syria to step in and "be more bold." Since taking over after Assad's ouster, Sharaa has repeatedly called for the lifting of U.S. and other international sanctions to allow his country to breathe again. He understands that without funding and financial support, there is little he can do to put Syria back on track. Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the continuation of sanctions was hindering the country's ability to recover and move forward. Yacoubian noted that removing the sanctions would open the way for Gulf countries in particular to "do more" and channel more resources toward Syria's early recovery and stabilization, and eventually, reconstruction -- provided it is done "transparently and in a responsible way." However, Syria's problems will not be resolved simply by ending the sanctions. Sharaa is facing "very significant issues," including sectarian tensions, the need for transitional justice, and how to manage the more extreme elements of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS -- the group he led before becoming president -- as well as affiliated factions on which he continues to rely while trying to consolidate control. "So how will he use this newfound breathing space and the anticipated resources to consolidate his personal power, or rather to put Syria on a more sustainable path toward stability and, ultimately, peace?" Yacoubian asked rhetorically. She added that he will have to demonstrate a willingness to undertake complex processes related to transitional justice, inclusive governance, and national reconciliation. According to Hawach, Trump has given Sharaa "the benefit of the doubt," and the new leadership in Damascus will need to seize this opportunity to meet internal and external expectations. "How willing are they to take bold, risky steps such as distancing themselves from their radical base and expanding to include a broader range of constituencies?" he asked. "Are they prepared to take courageous actions to rein in or address the presence of foreign fighters? Would they focus on other issues, such as building institutional capacity or strengthening military capabilities?" Trump, who described Sharaa as an "attractive, tough guy," urged him to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, expel foreign fighters from Syria, deport Palestinian militants, assist the U.S. in preventing an ISIS resurgence and take responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria. What Syrians want most is a more inclusive national dialogue and political process, the formation of a national army and measures to address the fears of minority groups. Anas Joudeh, a political researcher and founder of the Nation Building Movement in Syria, said the first step would be for Sharaa to seriously engage with all of the country's constituencies, restart the national dialogue, adopt a new constitution, and form a more inclusive government. "We can't expect things to be perfect right now," Joudeh told UPI. "We will strongly support any move toward greater inclusivity, as the country is heading toward total economic and social collapse." He said the key to Syria's successful transition is the formation of a national army, which poses a "big challenge" for Sharaa. This includes absorbing the armed factions, addressing the foreign fighters who still maintain control in several areas and convincing the Druze, Alawites and Kurds to lay down their weapons. "But that would be very difficult if Sharaa keeps on [running the country] with the same mentality," Joudeh said. Sharaa will, therefore, need to address the concerns of the Druze, Alawites and Kurds, find solutions to mitigate feelings of existential threat, impose security and, ultimately, act not as a faction leader, but as the leader of the entire country, Hawach said. "If they decide to make positive steps towards these communities, this is the perfect time to do so," he added. He explained that with the possibility of accessing much-needed funds, the country can recruit for the army, establish better command control and gain more leverage to deal with armed factions that are not yet fully under the new authorities' control. Makram Rabah, a political activist and history professor at the American University of Beirut, said Trump's meeting with Sharaa will put more pressures on him to act as a political leader. "Lifting the sanctions sent a message not only to Sharaa but also to the Druze, Kurds and Alawites: that there is political cover, a form of settlement, and a need to work together," Rabah told UPI. "However, this is far from easy." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
16-05-2025
- Business
- UPI
Analysis: After meeting Trump, Syria's new leader must prove his willingness, capability
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (3-R) hosts a conference call between U.S. President Donald Trump (C), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R-C) and Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (2L) on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined by phone. Photo by Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs/UPI | License Photo BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected approach to Syria has presented a significant opportunity for the country's interim president, Ahmad Sharaa, to prove that he can overcome the enormous challenges he faces and lead the war-torn nation toward recovery and stabilization, political analysts and experts said. Trump's announcement of the cessation of U.S. sanctions, along with his meeting with Sharaa -- a former jihadist who, until recently, was on the U.S. most-wanted list with a $10 million bounty on his head -- marked a turning point and the beginning of a new chapter for Syria nearly six months after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad and his Baathist regime. With Assad gone, the sanctions were increasingly seen as only prolonging the suffering of the Syrian people and worsening the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions. Had the sanctions remained in place, Syria would have become a failed state, as it was just weeks away from financial collapse, according to Mouaz Mustafa of the Syrian Emergency Task Force. In an interview with PBS NewsHour, Mustafa warned that continued sanctions would have led to disastrous consequences for both the region and the world. With layers of sanctions in place since 1979, the process of lifting them remains unclear, and experts say it will take time. "There is a huge difference between deciding to lift sanctions and actually lifting them," Nanar Hawach, a senior Syria analyst for the International Crisis Group, told UPI. However, he said it would be "a game-changer" for the economy, giving the green light for the private sector and other stakeholders involved in Syria to step in and "be more bold." Since taking over after Assad's ouster, Sharaa has repeatedly called for the lifting of U.S. and other international sanctions to allow his country to breathe again. He understands that without funding and financial support, there is little he can do to put Syria back on track. Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the continuation of sanctions was hindering the country's ability to recover and move forward. Yacoubian noted that removing the sanctions would open the way for Gulf countries in particular to "do more" and channel more resources toward Syria's early recovery and stabilization, and eventually, reconstruction -- provided it is done "transparently and in a responsible way." However, Syria's problems will not be resolved simply by ending the sanctions. Sharaa is facing "very significant issues," including sectarian tensions, the need for transitional justice, and how to manage the more extreme elements of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS -- the group he led before becoming president -- as well as affiliated factions on which he continues to rely while trying to consolidate control. "So how will he use this newfound breathing space and the anticipated resources to consolidate his personal power, or rather to put Syria on a more sustainable path toward stability and, ultimately, peace?" Yacoubian asked rhetorically. She added that he will have to demonstrate a willingness to undertake complex processes related to transitional justice, inclusive governance, and national reconciliation. According to Hawach, Trump has given Sharaa "the benefit of the doubt," and the new leadership in Damascus will need to seize this opportunity to meet internal and external expectations. "How willing are they to take bold, risky steps such as distancing themselves from their radical base and expanding to include a broader range of constituencies?" he asked. "Are they prepared to take courageous actions to rein in or address the presence of foreign fighters? Would they focus on other issues, such as building institutional capacity or strengthening military capabilities?" Trump, who described Sharaa as an "attractive, tough guy," urged him to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, expel foreign fighters from Syria, deport Palestinian militants, assist the U.S. in preventing an ISIS resurgence and take responsibility for ISIS detention centers in northeast Syria. What Syrians want most is a more inclusive national dialogue and political process, the formation of a national army and measures to address the fears of minority groups. Anas Joudeh, a political researcher and founder of the Nation Building Movement in Syria, said the first step would be for Sharaa to seriously engage with all of the country's constituencies, restart the national dialogue, adopt a new constitution, and form a more inclusive government. "We can't expect things to be perfect right now," Joudeh told UPI. "We will strongly support any move toward greater inclusivity, as the country is heading toward total economic and social collapse." He said the key to Syria's successful transition is the formation of a national army, which poses a "big challenge" for Sharaa. This includes absorbing the armed factions, addressing the foreign fighters who still maintain control in several areas and convincing the Druze, Alawites and Kurds to lay down their weapons. "But that would be very difficult if Sharaa keeps on [running the country] with the same mentality," Joudeh said. Sharaa will, therefore, need to address the concerns of the Druze, Alawites and Kurds, find solutions to mitigate feelings of existential threat, impose security and, ultimately, act not as a faction leader, but as the leader of the entire country, Hawach said. "If they decide to make positive steps towards these communities, this is the perfect time to do so," he added. He explained that with the possibility of accessing much-needed funds, the country can recruit for the army, establish better command control and gain more leverage to deal with armed factions that are not yet fully under the new authorities' control. Makram Rabah, a political activist and history professor at the American University of Beirut, said Trump's meeting with Sharaa will put more pressures on him to act as a political leader. "Lifting the sanctions sent a message not only to Sharaa but also to the Druze, Kurds and Alawites: that there is political cover, a form of settlement, and a need to work together," Rabah told UPI. "However, this is far from easy."
The Intercept
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Intercept
Trump Said Syria Deserves a 'Fresh Start' — But U.S. Troops Aren't Leaving
President Donald Trump announced that his administration intends to lift wide-ranging sanctions on Syria during a speech on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. 'In Syria, which has seen so much misery and death, there is a new government that will hopefully will succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace,' Trump said. 'I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness.' Trump said that Syria deserves 'a fresh start.' That new beginning does not, however, include an end to the U.S. occupation of Syrian territory, according to the Pentagon. Around 1,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed in the country. The U.S. military has been operating in Syria for many years as part of its complex and often muddled military efforts in the region. America's bases ostensibly exist to conduct 'counter-ISIS missions,' but experts say they are also as a check against Iran. The outposts have come under frequent attack in recent years and have also been targeted for thefts by militias and criminal gangs. Late last year, the government of Bashar al-Assad was toppled after a rapid offensive by rebel forces led by Syria's current interim president, Ahmed al-Shara. Last month, reports emerged that the U.S. was shuttering three of its eight small outposts in Syria. Experts say that withdrawing U.S. troops from a handful of bases in Syria is now long overdue and necessary to effect a real change in strategy and policy for the region. 'Over 1,000 U.S. troops remain stuck in Syria without a clear mission or timetable to return.' 'Lifting sanctions on Syria is a positive step — but sanctions aren't the only holdover policy from the Assad days that the U.S. should revisit,' said Rosemary Kelanic, the director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities, a think tank that advocates for more restrained U.S. foreign policy. 'Over 1,000 U.S. troops remain stuck in Syria without a clear mission or timetable to return. They're a legacy of the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but that would-be 'caliphate' was defeated and lost all its territory over 5 years ago. It's time for those troops to come home.' When asked if the U.S. was planning a withdrawal of forces from Syria, a Pentagon spokesperson referred The Intercept to an April statement that announced 'the U.S. footprint in Syria' would drop 'down to less than a thousand U.S. forces in the coming months,' but would not end entirely. 'The Department of Defense continues to maintain a significant amount of capability in the region and the ability to make dynamic force posture adjustments based on evolving security situations on the ground,' the statement reads. On Wednesday, Trump spoke for about half an hour with al-Shara, whom he called a 'young, attractive guy.' Trump also referred to the Syrian president's 'strong past' and called him a 'fighter.' Al-Shara is designated as a terrorist by the U.S. government for his former affiliation with Al Qaeda. Trump also encouraged al-Shara to 'tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria'; help the U.S. prevent the resurgence of ISIS; and sign on to the Abraham Accords, a 2020 Trump-brokered pact that established formal ties between Israel and four Arab countries, among other recommendations, according to a statement on X by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Fear of an ISIS revival has been the long-standing argument for keeping U.S. troops in Syria. Kelanic pointed to the recent history of Afghanistan as an argument against claims that the U.S. needs to have boots on the ground to counter any ISIS resurgence. 'The big argument against the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was that we would see a resurgence of terrorism from al-Qaeda or ISIS. But the U.S hasn't been targeted by terrorism from Afghanistan,' Kelanic told The Intercept. 'The U.S. has detected plots by ISIS-Khorasan, which operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Iran and Russia and warned those countries ahead of time. We're able to still detect what's going on with extremely sophisticated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities without having boots on the ground.' The White House did not respond for a request for comment concerning the continued U.S. troop presence in Syria. A recent investigation by The Intercept found that U.S. troops in the Middle East have come under attack close to 400 times, at a minimum, since the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war, according to figures provided by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Central Command. This amounts to roughly one attack every 1.5 days, on average. 'Having these troops in Syria … It's like we're giving them hostages to take if they see fit.' The strikes, predominantly by Iranian-backed militias and — prior to a ceasefire signed last week — the Houthi government in Yemen, include a mix of one-way attack drones, rockets, mortars, and ballistic missiles fired at fixed bases and U.S. warships across the region. These groups ramped up attacks on U.S. targets in October 2023, in response to the U.S.-supported Israeli war on Gaza. 'About 200' of those attacks have been on U.S. bases, according to Pentagon spokesperson Patricia Kreuzberger. Around 50 percent occurred in Syria. 'Having these troops in Syria puts them at risk of retaliation from Iran and others,' said Kelanic. 'It's like we're giving them hostages to take if they see fit, without there being a particularly compelling reason for these troops to be there.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's Middle East tour begins with Syria looming as strategic opportunity
President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for his first major overseas trip since retaking office, hoping to secure major deals on trade and diplomatic breakthroughs across the Middle East. The president might have an unexpected and willing partner in Syria's new president who could offer him a huge diplomatic win. "This is a historic opportunity, and it would be a shame if the U.S. lost it," Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told Fox News Digital. President Trump seems open to renewed relations with Syria, including the possibility of lifting crippling sanctions imposed under the previous regime of Bashar al-Assad. Islamist Group Running Syria Has Mixed Record Over Governance In Province, Ruled With 'Iron Fist' "We may take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start," President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. Read On The Fox News App The president added that "we want to see if we can help them out" and that a determination on Syria sanctions will be made at some point. "Syria now, for the first time, has a government in power that is not only no longer reliant on Iran to survive but is quite hostile to Iran, and so that would be a big opportunity lost if the U.S. didn't step up," Hall added. Mouaz Moustafa, executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a non-profit helping to bring democracy to Syria, recently met with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus. Moustafa exclusively told Fox News Digital that the two spoke for over three hours about a potential breakthrough in U.S.-Syrian relations, which have been severed since 2011 following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, which led to the deaths of over 500,000 people. Moustafa and others are pushing for a meeting between al-Sharaa and President Trump during his visit to the Gulf this week. For Syria's new government, this will be their opportunity to persuade the new administration to do business with a country coming out of a devastating 14-year civil war and mend ties with a leader who was once aligned with the Islamic State and al Qaeda. "Syria's objectives are quite clear on why they would want to meet President Trump in Saudi Arabia, to make headway on some of these core issues of cooperation and to alleviate any of the concerns the White House may have. And some of the things they've been trying to do is to show that they can be cooperative on intelligence issues, on business, and talking about companies seeking to do business in Syria," CSIS' Hall said. Syria's New Regime Hits Hezbollah Targets In Lebanon Over Claims Its Fighters Were Executed Yet others urge caution. "Right now, Sharaa is not restricting political and civil liberties, but he's an authoritarian by nature." former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford told Fox News Digital. Ford, who was the last U.S. ambassador in Damascus, was pulled from the embassy in October 2011 after the Syrian uprising turned violent. Ford led the effort to put al-Sharaa on the terrorist list in 2012 and said, although he is pragmatic, he is leading an extremely weak government. "He doesn't control all of Syria yet. The government in Damascus that he leads is not very strong, and it will take time to reassert all of its authority over Syria," Ford said. Ford does not believe al-Sharaa will pursue terrorism as he did in the past, but while there have been some promising developments since taking power, the U.S. must keep its expectations relatively low. "Syria is so weak, militarily and economically, with lots of internal political divisions. Therefore, it's not going to be in a position to sign huge arrangements with the U.S.," Ford cautioned. A senior official in the Syrian Foreign Ministry told Fox News Digital that President al-Sharaa emphasizes "that the new Free Syria seeks to establish a strong strategic relationship with the United States, one grounded in mutual interests and shared partnership." The senior official added that "Damascus sees U.S. President Donald Trump as the leader most capable of achieving peace in the Middle East," noting that Syria hopes to become an active and influential ally to Washington on regional issues. Moustafa also met with members of the National Security Council and conveyed the Syrian president's desire for a new partnership. The National Security Council did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. The new Syrian leader has already shown a willingness to cooperate on some key issues important to the U.S. The new Syrian government has cooperated with U.S. intelligence agencies and foiled several ISIS plots to attack Damascus. Syrian intelligence services also arrested ISIS commander Abu al-Harith al-Iraqi in February. Trump Targets Massive Investments In First Middle East Trip Moustafa also said that al-Sharaa was worried about the massive buildup of Iranian-backed militias along the Iraqi side of the Syrian border. This is a worry for the U.S. as well as the Trump administration, he said, as it has been looking to reengage with Iran to curb its nuclear program. In al-Sharaa's eyes, the deal of the century would bring peace to Syria and its neighbors, including Israel. Moustafa added the deal would keep China, Russia and Iran out and allow U.S. troops to go home in the right way. Yet critics warn a potential deal with the United States is not without its obstacles. Al-Sharaa led the Islamist rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to victory over the Assad dictatorship in December. He had a $10 million bounty for his capture that was lifted in February amidst the administration's efforts to talk to the new Syrian government. Christian Watch Group Rises Up To Protect Community Amid Growing Violence In Syria HTS is still a designated foreign terrorist organization, which complicates doing business in Syria. "The question at hand is whether to believe that a change in behavior, following the fall of the regime, translates into a more permanent change in character, ideology, and governance," Caroline Rose, director of The New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital. Rose, who recently traveled to Syria, noted that while HTS has been incrementally breaking away from affiliations with terrorist organizations and has adopted some moderate elements over time, there are still doubts that this will "stick," particularly with recent sectarian tensions. "Skeptics of lifting restrictions on Syria immediately fear that any move could be too premature and could risk the U.S.' credibility among its regional counterparts," Rose added. Since becoming president, al-Sharaa has formed a transitional government composed of close allies from the HTS rebel group and a mix of technocrats, former opposition leaders, civil society activists and even some former members of the Assad government. The temporary constitution signed by al-Sharaa in March guarantees basic freedoms such as freedoms of opinion, expression and the press. It also protects women's rights and promises equal rights for all Syrians regardless of ethnicity, religious sect or gender, yet it still leaves the country under Islamist rule during the transitional process. There remain some concerns over the power concentrated in the hands of the president. The president can unilaterally declare a state of emergency and suspend basic rights if national security is threatened. The vast powers granted to the executive in the new constitution is a reminder for many Syrians of the authoritarian past many suffered at the hands of the Assad regime for over 50 years. Although there is a new sense of optimism within Syrian society about its future, civil peace and security remain elusive. Deadly sectarian clashes in March launched by remnants of the former Assad regime in Syria's coastal region led to the deaths of 200 members of the security forces. Forces allied with the government and armed civilians responded with brute force. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that these groups were responsible for the deaths of at least 396 people. Tensions have also escalated with Syria's Druze population as well, highlighting the delicate balance of Syria's complex ethnic divides and the new authority's ability to control various armed factions. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Trump's Middle East tour begins with Syria looming as strategic opportunity
