Brian Carter

However, over the years, he's kind of tried to moderate himself and has begun to present himself less as a Salafi jihadi like Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State and more of what we call a political jihadist. He's not interested or he says he's not interested in external attacks outside of Syria. And instead, in recent years, has put a lot of effort into fighting

rehabilitating his image, working with minorities in the northwest of Syria.

rehabilitating his image, working with minorities in the northwest of Syria.

rehabilitating his image, working with minorities in the northwest of Syria.

And this is one of the things actually that has made his offensive, his group's offensive, so successful is he's actually, when he liberates towns from the regime, he's doing it oftentimes without fighting because he will negotiate with local Shia or Christian notables and say, hey, if you join me, we're not going to have any problems.

And this is one of the things actually that has made his offensive, his group's offensive, so successful is he's actually, when he liberates towns from the regime, he's doing it oftentimes without fighting because he will negotiate with local Shia or Christian notables and say, hey, if you join me, we're not going to have any problems.

And this is one of the things actually that has made his offensive, his group's offensive, so successful is he's actually, when he liberates towns from the regime, he's doing it oftentimes without fighting because he will negotiate with local Shia or Christian notables and say, hey, if you join me, we're not going to have any problems.

Possibly, but I think he's also learned a lot over his career. He kind of seems to have evolved through the years. And so he started in that very Salafi jihadi, very sectarian mindset. And I think one of the things that we're seeing now and what he is doing, especially in engaging with the Shia and the Iraqis diplomatically, is...

Possibly, but I think he's also learned a lot over his career. He kind of seems to have evolved through the years. And so he started in that very Salafi jihadi, very sectarian mindset. And I think one of the things that we're seeing now and what he is doing, especially in engaging with the Shia and the Iraqis diplomatically, is...

Possibly, but I think he's also learned a lot over his career. He kind of seems to have evolved through the years. And so he started in that very Salafi jihadi, very sectarian mindset. And I think one of the things that we're seeing now and what he is doing, especially in engaging with the Shia and the Iraqis diplomatically, is...

He says things in a way that signals to me that he has learned some lessons. He knows the Shia fear these Sunni militant groups breathing down their necks. And he knows that's one of the reasons that Assad was able to convince so many people to fight for him back in the early 2010s. And I think that's really notable. Now, granted...

He says things in a way that signals to me that he has learned some lessons. He knows the Shia fear these Sunni militant groups breathing down their necks. And he knows that's one of the reasons that Assad was able to convince so many people to fight for him back in the early 2010s. And I think that's really notable. Now, granted...

He says things in a way that signals to me that he has learned some lessons. He knows the Shia fear these Sunni militant groups breathing down their necks. And he knows that's one of the reasons that Assad was able to convince so many people to fight for him back in the early 2010s. And I think that's really notable. Now, granted...

Jelani is operating from a position of, I mean, he's getting stronger every day, but a weaker position. So when he gains power, does he maintain this sort of mindset? I don't know.

Jelani is operating from a position of, I mean, he's getting stronger every day, but a weaker position. So when he gains power, does he maintain this sort of mindset? I don't know.

Jelani is operating from a position of, I mean, he's getting stronger every day, but a weaker position. So when he gains power, does he maintain this sort of mindset? I don't know.

Yeah, sure. So I kind of walk through. I'll walk through the regime and I'll walk through who the U.S. is backing and all that sort of stuff. So the regime, Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite from the sort of western coast of Syria.

Yeah, sure. So I kind of walk through. I'll walk through the regime and I'll walk through who the U.S. is backing and all that sort of stuff. So the regime, Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite from the sort of western coast of Syria.

Yeah, sure. So I kind of walk through. I'll walk through the regime and I'll walk through who the U.S. is backing and all that sort of stuff. So the regime, Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite from the sort of western coast of Syria.

One of the reasons that this area was so hard for the opposition to gain any ground in back in the early 2010s was because there was a fear among the Alawite minority that were Assad to fall, the Sunni would retaliate against them. So that is one of the reasons Assad is able to build up such support there.